Playing Your Best: Marching Band Season with Braces

Marching band season is in full swing across West Michigan. Students are spending hours each week perfecting their drill formations, nailing their parts, and getting ready for competitions. For Grandville and Hudsonville bands heading toward the state championship at Ford Field on November 1st, the pressure is on to perform at the highest level.

If your child plays a wind instrument while wearing braces, you’ve probably heard some complaints. The first few weeks of band camp are tough enough without adding orthodontic discomfort to the mix. Reeds feel different. Mouthpieces hit brackets in new ways. Lips that need to stretch and vibrate are dealing with metal and wires.

The most common worry parents bring to Dr. Porto is whether braces will affect their child’s ability to play their instrument. The short answer is that there’s usually an adjustment period, but most students adapt within a few weeks. The longer answer involves some practical strategies that can make the transition much smoother.

What Brass Players Need to Know

For trumpet, trombone, and French horn players, the mouthpiece pressure on brackets can be uncomfortable at first. This is where orthodontic wax becomes your best friend. Applying a small amount of wax over the brackets that make contact with the mouthpiece creates a smooth surface and protects the inside of your lips from rubbing and irritation.

Some students find that using a slightly larger mouthpiece during treatment helps reduce pressure on specific brackets. Before making any equipment changes, check with your band director. They might have recommendations based on other students who’ve played through orthodontic treatment, and some band programs keep backup mouthpieces in different sizes for students to try.

The adjustment period for brass players typically runs about two to three weeks. Your mouth muscles will adapt to the new positioning, and what feels impossible at first practice will feel normal by the time competition season hits. Students often report that their endurance actually improves once they work through the initial discomfort because they develop better breath support and embouchure technique.

Woodwind Players Face Different Challenges

Reed instruments require precise embouchure (that’s the technical term for how you position your mouth), and braces can initially interfere with getting a good seal and tone. Clarinet and saxophone players often find they need to adjust their lip position slightly to accommodate the brackets. The angle changes, the pressure distribution shifts, and suddenly notes that came easily before require more effort.

Flute players have their own set of challenges since the instrument requires a specific lip aperture and air angle. Some flutists need to modify their angle slightly or adjust how much of the lip plate makes contact with their lower lip. The key is patience and consistent daily practice. Your mouth muscles will adapt, and most students report that their tone actually improves once they work through the initial adjustment.

Here’s something that surprises parents: some students actually play better with braces. The brackets can provide stability for the embouchure, especially for younger players still developing their technique. We’ve had several band students tell us their tone became clearer and their range improved after they adjusted to playing with orthodontics.

Practical Tips for Band Season Success

Keep orthodontic wax in your instrument case. Store it right alongside reeds, valve oil, and cork grease so it’s always available. Use it liberally during sectionals and full band rehearsals, especially in the first few weeks of treatment or after adjustment appointments when brackets might feel sharper.

Communicate with Dr. Porto about problem areas. Sometimes a small adjustment to wire placement or bracket position can make a huge difference. If certain brackets are causing persistent irritation or affecting sound production, we can often smooth rough edges or make minor modifications that help without compromising treatment.

Talk to your band director early. Let them know you’re in orthodontic treatment so they understand if you’re struggling with endurance or tone quality during the adjustment period. Most directors have worked with dozens of students in braces and can offer encouragement or technique adjustments that help.

Practice in shorter, more frequent sessions. When your mouth is still adapting, playing for two hours straight can be brutal. Break practice into 20-30 minute sessions with breaks in between. You’ll actually get more productive practice time this way because your embouchure won’t fatigue as quickly.

The Competition Season Timeline

With state finals happening on November 1st, October is crunch time for competitive bands. If your child is getting braces or having a major adjustment right now, talk to Dr. Porto about timing. Sometimes we can schedule appointments strategically around big performances or competitions to minimize disruption during critical practice weeks.

That said, thousands of students across Michigan successfully march and perform with braces every season. The discomfort is temporary, but the smile you’re working toward lasts forever. If your child is worried about how braces will affect their performance, remind them that the adjustment period is just a few weeks, while the benefits of orthodontic treatment last a lifetime.

When to Call the Orthodontist

Most playing discomfort with braces is normal and resolves with time and practice. However, call our Grandville or Holland office if:

• A bracket breaks or comes loose (this needs to be fixed regardless of band season)
• Wires are poking and causing cuts that don’t resolve with wax
• Pain is severe or getting worse instead of better after the first week
• Your child is avoiding playing because of orthodontic discomfort

Dr. Porto has worked with plenty of musicians from local programs. We understand that band isn’t just an extracurricular activity for these students—it’s a passion and a commitment. We’ll work with your family to keep treatment on track while making sure your child can keep hitting those high notes and nailing those drill formations.

Questions about playing instruments with braces? Contact Enjoy Orthodontics in Grandville or Holland. We’re here to help your musician perform their best all season long.