Singing audition and new braces on teeth???

[ADisneyQueen]

Can someone please help me? My dd13 is supposed to get braces on soon and then have a singing audition for a musical 1-2 weeks after they are put on. Is it going to more difficult for her to sing at least for a few weeks when she is getting used to the braces? I've paid for voice lessons all year and I don't want to mess up this audition. Thanks.

 

[cabanafrau]

Hard to say without knowing what her treatment will be, and what stage she'll be in then. For older DD it might have made a difference in your timeframe because she was adjusting to a palate expander & I know it affected how she formed some of her words, especially at the very beginning when it was new & we were cranking it open further every night. I don't think it would have affected younger DD at that phase because she had no expander & no extra bands on her incisors at that stage.

 

[shoney]

My dd12 got the lead in the school play and then a week later had braces put on his top teeth. He was in pain for a few days and was worried.
His voice didn't change at all.

He just has spaces between very straight teeth, so he doesn't have anything complicated....just the little metal thingies on each tooth with a wire.

Good luck!!!!

 

[*pixie*dust*]

Depending on what she is having done, yes it could impact her singing. Not specifically her voice-- but her ability to open and close her mouth fully and potential cheek or lip swelling could all be factors for the first few weeks.

 

[luvsJack]

Dd got her braces on just a couple of weeks before her first audition. It didn't effect her at all. But she never had a palate extender and did not have braces on the bottom teeth so no rubber bands.

Her cousin had braces on bottom and top and she did sound slightly like she had a lisp for a short while.

 

[ilovepcot]

I'd phone the orthodontist's office and see if the braces could possibly be re-scheduled soon after the audition. Maybe it's a possibility?

 

[deedeetoo]

I know my daughter had some trouble when she had her braces off and got a retainer. It gave her a lisp until she got used to it. I don't remember anything when the braces were put on. But I agree with others to call your orthodontist and ask them.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I was working ON the radio (in college) when I had braces. What affected my speech was the darn brackets getting caught on the interior of my mouth (whatever that is called). I would wax up to help. This helped my lips glide easily over my braces when I spoke.

I don't know if this will help here, but she might practice with and without wax and see what works.

I had wax on every single bracket that was susceptible to getting stuck. Over time this did become less and less necessary as the mouth became use to the brackets.

The retainer did cause a lisp. Thankfully, I was no longer in radio or television so it was only an issue for speaking with co-workers.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I got braces in my 20's and I sang in the choir at church. I had no problem singing, but the extra spit made me feel bad for the people in front of me! Your body's natural reaction to something in your mouth is to produce more saliva to help you digest the thing. It can take anywhere from a week to a couple months for your body to stop producing the extra saliva. In my case, I had it for the full 18 months I had the braces. So her voice will be fine, her teeth might be a little sore but her pronunciation should be at its new normal, but the extra spit might make her self-conscious.

 

[shortbun]

It doesn't change their voice but it inhibits mouth and teeth placement as well as the ability to pronounce things clearly. Postpone the braces for a couple weeks. Have you talked to her vocal coach?

 

[sookie]

I would NOT have her go to the audition and then get braces a few days later.

What sort of audition is this? For a play? If she ends up with braces after she wins the audition, she could have the above issues everyone is talking about - causing a problem for her and her singing. That adjustment could take several weeks. Also, since you haven't given us details on the audition, I can tell you that the auditions my children have gone to require a headshots that are to be representative of the child's current appearance. Any major changes in appearance or ability to sing after the audition can also be an issue.

Sometimes directors or casting agencies can be very picky about this. If she is having trouble with her braces after casting or her look is different - she could be replaced. You want and need her to show up to the audition looking like she will for the entire time she is involved in the production she is auditioning for. Having braces is probably not a problem. But changing a "look" will be a problem. Changing her ability to sing, even for a few weeks, could be a problem. My advice is to get the braces on ASAP and have her start practicing with the braces in place.

Is she compliant enough to have something like Invisalign Teen? Those are retainers that can be taken out for singing, eating, brushing...

If you have to stick with metal braces, look at morgan bumpers. You can buy them online. Or use a ton of wax to help decrease lip drag. There are several good orthodontic forums... they might also have advice. I know that I saw a ton of advice for various instrument players when I went on forums after I received my braces.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I'm a theater mom. Here's what I would do. Get the braces as scheduled. Have her practice singing the audition song with the braces on. Help her figure out which sounds (most likely s, f, th, etc.) will be affected and have her work on making adjustments where needed. She should go out and sing the audition to the best of her ability. Don't make excuses to the directors before or after singing. They will see that she has braces and that they may be affecting her enunciation.

My DS has been to several audition workshops. He was taught never to make excuses (Sorry, I have a cold, I have a sore throat, I just had dental work). One director said, "Just sing it out and let the snot fly!" It will be obvious that you're sick, and they may call you back if they want to hear you when you're healthy.

Your DD's directors will make an informed decision as to whether the braces will affect her ability to sing the role. What I would not do is reschedule the appointment for after the audition. Get the braces, do the audition. Don't worry about your money being wasted on voice lessons if she doesn't get this particular role. If she's serious about theater, there will be other roles. Voice lessons will help her become a better singer over the long-term.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

Thank you for the responses. I'm thinking of postponing the braces. This is just a children's musical that our little theater in town puts on every year. It's nothing professional but there is competition for the lead parts. If she gets a bigger part I may wait until after the musical ( beginning of August) to get the braces on. She's done these plays every summer and really looks forward to them so the braces can wait a bit longer. My older dd had braces but did not sing, so I wasn't sure what to do.

 

[indimom]

Based on your first and second post, I agree with you about waiting until after the audition.

My son had "lisping" issues the first few days to week with his palate expander, and again with his retainer. This did pass quickly as he adjusted to the devices. I didn't notice this problem with the braces at all, just the devices that covered a large part of his upper palate. But, if she does have a slight problem, I expect it would pass within a few days as she adjusts.

Good luck to your daughter!

 

[cabanafrau]

Thank you for the responses. I'm thinking of postponing the braces. This is just a children's musical that our little theater in town puts on every year. It's nothing professional but there is competition for the lead parts. If she gets a bigger part I may wait until after the musical ( beginning of August) to get the braces on. She's done these plays every summer and really looks forward to them so the braces can wait a bit longer. My older dd had braces but did not sing, so I wasn't sure what to do.

Not to be nasty or preachy, simply to offer up some other points to consider. Do you know how long the overall treatment is expected to take? Both my DDs started their ortho treatment on the early end of the spectrum amongst their peers, which they both kind of disliked initially, but both came to appreciate as they moved into HS & more of their peers began treatment while they were already done.

Generally orthos have an optimal time they'd like to begin certain phases of treatment depending on stage of development. Waiting longer, even a few months may mean a progression in development requiring more or longer treatment. Both of my girls went beyond initial treatment timeline estimates despite following the ortho's instructions. Many of their friends have as well. Several of my older DD's friends were very upset at having braces in senior photos -- thank goodness for Photoshop, and events like prom. A few of the kids had resisted getting braces & parents went along until their kid was ready. I know of at least 3 who wound up w/ much more involved treatment than expected because they hadn't started when they were evaluated -- granted these are cases where they were evaluated to begin 7th to 9th grade & didn't start until 10th & 11th grades, not a shorter interval like you were contemplating.

 

[luvsJack]

Not to be nasty or preachy, simply to offer up some other points to consider. Do you know how long the overall treatment is expected to take? Both my DDs started their ortho treatment on the early end of the spectrum amongst their peers, which they both kind of disliked initially, but both came to appreciate as they moved into HS & more of their peers began treatment while they were already done.

Generally orthos have an optimal time they'd like to begin certain phases of treatment depending on stage of development. Waiting longer, even a few months may mean a progression in development requiring more or longer treatment. Both of my girls went beyond initial treatment timeline estimates despite following the ortho's instructions. Many of their friends have as well. Several of my older DD's friends were very upset at having braces in senior photos -- thank goodness for Photoshop, and events like prom. A few of the kids had resisted getting braces & parents went along until their kid was ready. I know of at least 3 who wound up w/ much more involved treatment than expected because they hadn't started when they were evaluated -- granted these are cases where they were evaluated to begin 7th to 9th grade & didn't start until 10th & 11th grades, not a shorter interval like you were contemplating.

I agree. sometimes even a short wait can make a difference.

I would talk to the orthodontist before I made any decision.

DD's ortho stays so busy that if an appointment is rescheduled in the beginning, it can put it off far longer than you want it to. So rescheduling for "a couple of weeks" could have turned into a few months.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

Not to be nasty or preachy, simply to offer up some other points to consider. Do you know how long the overall treatment is expected to take? Both my DDs started their ortho treatment on the early end of the spectrum amongst their peers, which they both kind of disliked initially, but both came to appreciate as they moved into HS & more of their peers began treatment while they were already done.

Generally orthos have an optimal time they'd like to begin certain phases of treatment depending on stage of development. Waiting longer, even a few months may mean a progression in development requiring more or longer treatment. Both of my girls went beyond initial treatment timeline estimates despite following the ortho's instructions. Many of their friends have as well. Several of my older DD's friends were very upset at having braces in senior photos -- thank goodness for Photoshop, and events like prom. A few of the kids had resisted getting braces & parents went along until their kid was ready. I know of at least 3 who wound up w/ much more involved treatment than expected because they hadn't started when they were evaluated -- granted these are cases where they were evaluated to begin 7th to 9th grade & didn't start until 10th & 11th grades, not a shorter interval like you were contemplating.

In answer to the question, treatment is supposed to be 18 mos. That's how much he estimated my older dd's treatment too and it ended up being 20 mos so it was pretty close and older dd's teeth were worse. The reason we are starting a little late is b/c dentist kept telling us she didn't really need braces b/c her teeth are really straight except for 2 or 3 that are hidden on the side. DD has a slight overbite from sucking her thumb when she was little so that is my main concern. I'm not too worried about getting another appointment b/c we live in a small town and there are 2 orthos! We are going to talk to her voice teacher today about it.