Do you still have most of your Natural teeth?

Eupher said:
Three of my 4 wisdom teeth were extracted in my 20s. The fourth - nope, I waited till too late in life. Oral surgeon said it was risky taking that one due to the possibility of cutting a nerve that I can't afford to have cut.

I lost two molars along the way and I have 3 crowns on other molars. As I'm a brass player, I can't afford to lose any more. Last update from the dentist 2 weeks ago -- no cavities, no issues. Just a good cleaning was needed and done.
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I once saw this trumpet player who would collapse his jowls in such a way while sucking in air, that it seemed as if he had no teeth in the way. Is that possible?

And here he is!

 

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I was down to 5 teeth, and figured one was bad, so when I saw the dentist I told him to pull them all, he balked after all they were on the bottom. So I told him if he wouldn't pull them all I would find a dentist that would. So the dentist saw a lot of money getting ready to walk away, so he pulled them and I have never regretted it. I never have had to see one of those sadists since. We had a great denturist who did my plates and I have never had a moments problem with them. I know most will disagree with me but I absolutely despise dentists!
 
Aging Audra said:
Other than my 4 wisdom teeth, I have all of my natural teeth.
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You are truly blessed.

BTW

My parents had very sturdy teeth. In fact, I never saw my father go to the dentist once during my childhood. He had what resembled perfect teeth. So perfect, in fact, that they resembled dentures. In contrast, I was always getting cavities. At one point, he, who had to foot the seemingly endless dental bills, became frustrated and asked me:

"Tell me something! How many teeth do you have?"

My mother also sported exceptionally strong teeth. I remember her confidently and very easily prying open Coca Cola bottles by using her molars. Then one day, in our car, while opening another one, she suddenly emitted this primeval scream of agony. Never saw her try it again.

So I guess I didn't inherit neither of those characteristics.
 

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Radrook said:
The biting edges of my two upper central teeth are wearing down and get sore when I brush them there. Several years ago, I asked my elderly dentist about it and he began chuckling while describing it as a normal aging effect. I have often wondered what that chuckling was about.
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Was the elderly dentist chuckling because they to had to go through the same thing?
 
Radrook said:
You are truly blessed.

BTW

My parents had very sturdy teeth. In fact, I never saw my father go to the dentist once during my childhood. He had what resembled perfect teeth. So perfect, in fact, that they resembled dentures. In contrast, I was always getting cavities. At one point, he, who had to foot the seemingly endless dental bills, became frustrated and asked me:

"Tell me something! How many teeth do you have?"

My mother also sported exceptionally strong teeth. In fact, she would confidently and very easily pry open Coca Cola bottles by using her molars. Then one day, in our car, while prying another open as usual she suddenly emitted this primeval scream of agony. Never attempted it again.

So I guess I didn't inherit neither of those characteristics.
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I suppose so. We regularly went to the dentist when I grew up. I never really smoked other than trying it in high school in the 70's because everyone else was doing it and that didn't last but like two times smoking. The worst thing I do is drink coffee and wine. I really don't even eat much sugary things.
 
Elsie said:
At 88 I still have some of my natural teeth--such as they are. Dentists charge just too much for me to pay for having them improved. :sneaky:
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At least they are not contributing to unnecessary damage and extractions as they have often done with me. Two pulled unnecessarily and two others seriously damaged. That isn't counting the unnecessary infliction of agonies and other malpractices at their offices.

Reminds me of this guy.

 
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Aging Audra said:
I suppose so. We regularly went to the dentist when I grew up. I never really smoked other than trying it in high school in the 70's because everyone else was doing it and that didn't last but like two times smoking. The worst thing I do is drink coffee and wine. I really don't even eat much sugary things.
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Maybe the refraining from sweets was the key.
 
oscash said:
Yep, still have my natural teeth. Have had a couple removed when I was very young. Have had 4 fillings. Wisdom teeth never appeared. Keep off sugary foods and never drink sweet drinks. Not bad for someone coming into their 81st year.
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That truly is impressive! The only teeth that have escaped fillings are my lower front teeth. The rest, such as bicuspids and molars, have all been either filled or pulled. Fortunately, I have never lost any to accidents nor blows.
 
Radrook said:
I once saw this trumpet player who would collapse his jowls in such a way while sucking in air, that it seemed as if he had no teeth in the way. Is that possible?
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Not sure what you mean. There is a technique called "circular breathing" for wind players (not just brass) who can inhale through their nose while simultaneously exhale through their mouth. Makes for some extended passages in playing which is kinda exciting to watch and listen to. I have not mastered that technique.

Trombone Shorty playing trumpet and circular breathing:

Some brass players can be successful with no front teeth at all. Chet Baker, trumpeter and singer, was able to bring that off, although he had no upper register to speak of.

Both front and bottom teeth are important to support the lips and mouth structure, which in turn creates the needed seal between lips and mouthpiece. But not too much pressure -- that's self-defeating.
 
Eupher said:
Not sure what you mean. There is a technique called "circular breathing" for wind players (not just brass) who can inhale through their nose while simultaneously exhale through their mouth. Makes for some extended passages in playing which is kinda exciting to watch and listen to. I have not mastered that technique.

Trombone Shorty playing trumpet and circular breathing:

Some brass players can be successful with no front teeth at all. Chet Baker, trumpeter and singer, was able to bring that off, although he had no upper register to speak of.

Both front and bottom teeth are important to support the lips and mouth structure, which in turn creates the needed seal between lips and mouthpiece. But not too much pressure -- that's self-defeating.
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So the molars and the bicuspids are not essential as the front teeth? Then that would explain how he could collapse his cheeks in that extreme way. BTW Thanks for the video. I had never seen that wind instrument technique before.
 
Radrook said:
So the molars and the bicuspids are not essential as the front teeth? Then that would explain how he could collapse his cheeks in that extreme way. BTW Thanks for the video. I had never seen that wind instrument technique before.
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Depends on the size of the mouthpiece. As a low brass player using a larger mouthpiece than seen in Trombone Shorty's video, I can definitely tell you I need my bicuspids and canine teeth. Molars are less important in wind playing, though their absence can alter the mouth chamber for some.
 
Eupher said:
Depends on the size of the mouthpiece. As a low brass player using a larger mouthpiece than seen in Trombone Shorty's video, I can definitely tell you I need my bicuspids and canine teeth. Molars are less important in wind playing, though their absence can alter the mouth chamber for some.
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Never had imagined teeth so essential to playing wind instruments before. Thanks for the info.
 
I had an eye tooth knocked out playing ice hockey in college and I was fitted with a partial, which I wore until 8 years ago when I had it replaced with an implant. I also have 2 fillings in both back teeth, one at each end on the uppers. My wife at the time suggested I have the eye tooth capped with gold, but I didn’t think that would look professional in court.
 
Born_To_Lose said:
I had an eye tooth knocked out playing ice hockey in college and I was fitted with a partial, which I wore until 8 years ago when I had it replaced with an implant. I also have 2 fillings in both back teeth, one at each end on the uppers. My wife at the time suggested I have the eye tooth capped with gold, but I didn’t think that would look professional in court.
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This is what I found under eye tooth.


So how would capping the eye tooth with gold work in relation to vision?

​
 
Eupher said:
Depends on the size of the mouthpiece. As a low brass player using a larger mouthpiece than seen in Trombone Shorty's video, I can definitely tell you I need my bicuspids and canine teeth. Molars are less important in wind playing, though their absence can alter the mouth chamber for some.
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Here is the fellow I was referring to.


Doesn't seem to have molars and bicuspids.​
 
mrstime said:
I was down to 5 teeth, and figured one was bad, so when I saw the dentist I told him to pull them all, he balked after all they were on the bottom. So I told him if he wouldn't pull them all I would find a dentist that would. So the dentist saw a lot of money getting ready to walk away, so he pulled them and I have never regretted it. I never have had to see one of those sadists since. We had a great denturist who did my plates and I have never had a moments problem with them. I know most will disagree with me but I absolutely despise dentists!
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While working at dental laboratory in NYC, I saw this fellow come in and ask the laboratory owner to pull all his teeth and to fit him with full dentures.
 
Radrook said:
Here is the fellow I was referring to.


Doesn't seem to have molars and bicuspids.​
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Ah, Dizzy Gillespie was a tour de force. From a pedagogical standpoint, Dizzy broke the No. 1 rule -- do not puff your cheeks. We are taught NOT to do that, to keep the corners of the mouth curved downwards, not in any sort of "smile" and other things. Yet, in his prime, he played his butt off. I don't know how he did it, but he did.

Lots of stuff at play here, including not just the air column but the speed of the air column and how focused that air column is. It's part of the whole schtick of practicing for decades and you still don't "arrive".
 
Eupher said:
Ah, Dizzy Gillespie was a tour de force. From a pedagogical standpoint, Dizzy broke the No. 1 rule -- do not puff your cheeks. We are taught NOT to do that, to keep the corners of the mouth curved downwards, not in any sort of "smile" and other things. Yet, in his prime, he played his butt off. I don't know how he did it, but he did.

Lots of stuff at play here, including not just the air column but the speed of the air column and how focused that air column is. It's part of the whole schtick of practicing for decades and you still don't "arrive".
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He seems to lack molars and bicuspids.
 
I seem to break loose a tooth every 5 - 6 years since I was 65. Mostly rear molars. Either I grind them loose
or a bite down hard on a bonelike substance. Couple days go by and I can pull it myself.. I pulled the last
Molar in November 2022. I'm not worried about it. The roots show Tarter causes it. I brushed the heck out
of them teeth. The secrete most likely is don't eat! I like Salads and Cheese with them. I so Bad!
 

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