Metal Mouth Message Board

I'm close to getting braces and although I don't sing professionally anymore, since having a baby, I am wondering if the braces will have an effect on my voice/speech. I am getting ceramic upper and metal lower. Ortho said it should take a year for some crowding of my front teeth.

The singing thing has always been a reason for me to not get braces, because I've been singing professionally since I was 16 years old (plus my folks didn't have the money). I plan to get on stage again someday and I can't wait to have straight teeth when I'm singing! I was just wondering if anyone has run into this "problem" and how the braces effected them. I might have an opportunity to sing the national anthem at a baseball game this summer. Should I turn it down?

Thanks,

Gracie

Hello Krooner!

I sing professionally on occasion, but I haven't since I got braced. I also have ceramics on the upper and metal on lower. The only thing I notice in my speech is pronouncing my F's. It's more of a whistling noise (I do it on purpose to drive my dogs crazy! ) So that might affect singing a little, but to be honest, I guess I haven't noticed a difference when I'm just singing around the house or in my truck. Guess I will have to pay some attention to it!

Let me know after you get braced if it affects you or not.

Good luck!!

I'm not a singer, but I haven't noticed a lot of changes in my speech since getting braced. Like blondie111 said, my "F" comes out sometimes like a whistle, but that's about it. The first few day my speech was a little impared, I think that was mostly getting used to having all this stuff in my mouth! I wanted to get back to normal as soon as possible, so I made it a point to talk a lot, sing along with the radio or read out loud.

I would think if you practice singing from the start you can probably train your mouth pretty quickly to behave like you want it to. I'd accept the singing job - go for it!

Hi!
I am not a singer but I do love to sing! I got braces a few ago and I do find it hard to sing for now. I’m sure this is just a phase though and that whenever we get used to the braces we’ll be able to sing as well again!
Plus, the sound will come out perfect when the teeth are straight!
I’m not if you should turn that down, you may get used to the braces faster than you think!
Take care,
Joanna

Opera singer here;) I think it depends on what exactly the braces are correcting...what languages you will sing in...how often...etc. Some days I am totally fine...others I have a few issues. Overall, you should be ok. I would just make sure you give yourself plenty of time for your mouth to get acclimated to the braces and plan performances accordingly. Best of luck!

Thanks all! I appreciate it!

Krooner-
I sing every day with braces as I am a middle school vocal music teacher, plus I sing in a sweet adelines chorus. At first my "s's" had a slight whistle to them, but now they are fine. I've actually noticed some positive things happening, as my jaw is much more relaxed, my lips are more relaxed, and I swear I have more room in my mouth for my tongue! The hardest part is getting past what I look like with a mouth full of metal singing. Oh, well, I will have a gorgeous smile when I'm finished! My kids can't give me any more excuses about not being able to sing because of their braces. I tell them - "Hello, look at my mouth!"

Good luck - you can do it!

Saibass

Hi,

I too am a singer. I also cannot WAIT to have the beautiful teeth to show off while I'm singing!!! I work with a vocal coach every week, singing opera, theatre, whatever takes my fancy. I have had zero problems with the braces. Infact, I'm so much more confident now, that I think it may actually help! We do labs where we sing in front of accomplished singers in the area and one of them actually thought I pronounced my vowels better, maybe because I was very conscious of them. Don't let this be one more excuse - go for it! You will find that in a month or so you literally will not notice them. My friends and family and even I can't remember me before braces.

Erin

Wow, it's a great relief to read your responses! I have always been self-conscious about my teeth while singing because my front teeth on top are pointed inward in the middle due to being too big! (that's what the ortho said). So, on tape or in pictures I often have a shadow on my teeth that makes it look like I have a space there! It would make me feel more confident if I had straight teeth to be in stage again! I hope to start singing again once the baby is big enough that I feel comfortable to leave him again! Thanks everyone!

Gracie

I sing in a band so I feel your apprehension. When I first got my braces on, I was in so much pain I couldn't bring myself to sing. I have an expander so my speech has been altered. I have a real problem saying certain words. I cannot say "Cheats" very well. Considering I sing country, that word comes up a lot. I do find it is easier to sing the words than say them sometimes. My first performance was interesting. I got bad cottonmouth and my lips kept sticking to my braces. It made me very self conscious. I don't think anyone really cared about my braces. I had only 1 person come up and say "Oh, you have braces!" They couldn't tell from a distance apparently. Last weekend, I had an admirer who was telling everyone he was going to take me home. My husband the drummer, was not amused. I was actually relieved to know my braces really did not matter. The only thing I have a problem with is excess singing causing the brackets to rub and my tongue gets raw from the expander. That happens when I talk too much. So, don't worry about it. Just worry about not screwing up the lyrics to the National Anthem. (Every singer's worst nightmare.) Keep on singing and don't give up.

yes im a singer , i have a question for when i get braces can i stilll sing as well as i do now with braces ?

Well, I don't sing professionally or anything, but I do love to sing, and I sing alot- I sing in church and 3 other choirs, so I have experience with having braces and singing. I remember being worried that getting braces would effect my singing and speech. I remember the day I got braces I came home, ran to the piano and sang a song to see if my singing was affected . Luckily my voice sounded exactly the same. For some people I've heard that braces can cause a slight, but temporary lisp. I really doubt that braces will affect your voice. I have many friends who sing alot and have even been selected for state honor choirs while having braces. Good luck, with the braces and your voice!

The braces have not affected my ability to sing. Make sure you have a good orthodontist though. The ortho I went to screwed up my bite and so I haven't been able to close my mouth. An ENT said this has caused swelling in my jaw and a constant feeling of pressure in my ears. I can't hear myself singing as well as I could before this fiasco, and I was quite depressed for a while. I've learned to adjust and sing just as well as before (but I hope all will return to normal once I find a good orthodontist to fix me.)

I sing professionally from time to time, and the only thing I've noticed (and that my vocal coach has noticed) is that my 'oo' [/u/] vowel isn't as pure as it was beforehand. It's a temporary thing: my upper teeth are being expanded outward while my lowers are worked on. So, my lip has more distance to travel, now, to make an 'oo'. After the lowers are finished, my uppers will be moved back. And, as an fyi: I have ceramic uppers and metal lowers, too.
Craig

I sing with two choirs and sang a major rehearsal and performance of the Faure Requiem, two days after getting my braces. I was apprehensive but it went well. My ortho recommended vaseline on the upper brackets, to allow the lip to slide over them. If anything, I think my tone was better when braced than before. Luckily, it seems to have survived debanding.
At a recent performance, the soprano soloist was wearing braces and sang well.
At times the brackets can be a nuisance. Try singing "bevve bevve Grillo" at speed and you will see what I mean.
Huon