[The influence of playing the clarinet on the dentomaxillofacial morphology and function]

The purpose of this experiment is to understand the influence of playing the clarinet on the dentomaxillofacial morphology and function. The 12 subjects, selected at random (all adults, 4 men and 8 women) had played the clarinet for more than 10 years. The subjects had anamnesis, oral photo pictures, facial photo pictures, cast model, lateral cephalograms (lateral cephalo) and frontal cephalograms (frontal cephalo) taken when they were in centric occlusion and playing the clarinet. The results were as follows: 1. The facial profile and occlusal relation depend on the subjects. (2 mandibular retrognathism. 4 prognathism and 6 crowding.) 2. No characteristic skeletal pattern was found compared with controls in angle measurement but subjects had a tendency to have large facial height in linear measurement of lateral cephalo. And in denture pattern the lower incisors were linguoclination. 3. Concerning the lateral cephalo, we noticed that the angle of the clarinet in relation to the body axis increased in accordance with the prognathism and decreased with the retrognathism. 4. The subjects don't have identical midline, comparing lower midline to dentofacial midline, when playing, the angle of clarinet to the body was eccentric according to maxillary incisors in frontal cephalo. 5. Anterial and posterial length was short in mandibular arch, analyzing the cast model. 6. The pressure on mouthpiece increased in accordance with the prognathism and decreased with retrognathism. 7. The results of the EMG analysis indicated that the muscle activity of oral sphincter was described as 1). upper lip, 2). lower lip, 3). commisure of lips and differences were found depending on the parts being studied and the sound played on the clarinet. In conclusion, the skeletal and denture problem influence the holding position of the clarinet, embouchure and the way of playing it. In case of mandibular prognathism, when playing, the subjects pressed on their teeth with the clarinet. So B instrument won't do for prognathism because lower incisors are pushed inward as a result.