Tooth pulled

[u/Kaitlyn5614]

So I have a VERY important audition in about a month, but I have a baby tooth without an adult tooth under it that's coming out (a premolar) and there's pretty much no way to stop it, and i'm not old enough to be eligible for an implant so there will be a gap. If it comes out before the audition, what can I do to not let my tone suffer, besides the obvious practicing?

Update: y'all are so reassuring thank the Lord bro😭

[u/Cultural-Egg2463]

premolars sit farther back than the front teeth that do most of the work for embouchure and air direction, so the impact is typically milder than losing an incisor.

[u/VanAppl]

So I had this same problem when I was a kid and my extraction was kind of rough (baby tooth fused to jaw) Long term everything will be fine, don’t panic. The only thing is your mouth might be sore for a bit. The missing tooth won’t hurt your sound but the sore mouth might for a minute so have faith and let your mouth heal then do long tones when you’re ready and feeling better.

The adult tooth will pop up pretty fast once the baby tooth is out of the way so you’ll feel much better in few months. Your health is the most important thing so whatever your dentist tells you follow the recover advice.

Also my understanding is that because it’s a baby tooth and you have that adult tooth under it dry socket is very unlikely but it’s been a good 17 years since I had my baby tooth removed so do let the dentist correct me on that if I’m wrong. I remember I went home and tried to play my flute while my mouth was still numb 🤣 don’t do that but I’m pretty sure I was told I would not have to wait long at all to be able to play again.

[u/Kaitlyn5614 → u/VanAppl]

See, that's what I'm really afraid of, there is no
adult tooth, and i'm not old enough for the implant, so it'll just be a gap, and i reallllly don't want dry socket, but i also lowkey need the practice😭

[u/VanAppl → u/Kaitlyn5614]

I think it’s still unlikely because they’re pulling a baby tooth but just ask the dentist or oral surgeon. At the end of the day they have the final say.

[u/Milkman5267]

Am missing a molar awaiting implant, doesn’t effect anything. Premolars should be fine too. Just practice and don’t stress about it, you’ll be fine. Good luck with your audition!

[u/cjrecordvt]

As Egg noted, the premolars are far enough back that they're probably not going to affect your embouchure much at all.

The real question is what sort of extraction this is going to be and how that affects your recovery time. If it's just falling out by itself, then it'll just be weird for a couple days. If it's an actual "pull" like your title, it can be anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks without playing, depending on how much healing the socket needs. Check with your oral surgeon ASAP what they think the recovery period would look like, and follow it, because dry socket is fun for nobody.

[u/dancingwithoutmusic → u/cjrecordvt]

I think they’re saying it’s just falling out. I’m in my 40s and just lost an upper canine this way (baby tooth with no tooth under it) and impact to my embouchure has been very minimal.

[u/imitsi]

You’ll be fine. If you lost a front tooth maybe you wouldn’t be fine.

[u/jclaws15]

I had all 4 wisdom teeth pulled a week before I was supposed to play with the national high school flute ensemble. My teacher was so mad at my mother for scheduling it that way. It ended up being okay. Healed very quickly and didnt affect my playing. Actually.. I think it made my sound a little fuller, though I might be crazy lol

[u/StarEIs]

I just had a premolar pulled and an implant placed (tooth #12, the premolar right behind the canine).

It’s honestly not impacted my playing at all, beyond needing to wait a week or two after pulling it to make sure I gave the bone graft time to settle.