Reddit reviews Ezo Denture Cushions, Lower Heavy, 15 Cushions (Pack of 6)
We found 5 Reddit comments about Ezo Denture Cushions, Lower Heavy, 15 Cushions (Pack of 6). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Makes Old Dentures Fit like New Again: Ezo holds lower dentures tight with VACUUM GRIP. When dentures are new, they grip with a natural vacuumEzo denture cushions help re-create the natural vacuum that keeps dentures in place. The VACUUM GRIP provides a better fit and holdEzo denture cushions add extra cushioning and last up to 24 hoursNo Odor, Taste, Mess. Made of pure cotton flannel, paraffin wax, and corn oil
I had braces when I was in high school playing the clarinet (I'm a private lesson instructor now) and the thing that helped me more than anything was this product called EZO
https://www.amazon.com/Ezo-Denture-Cushions-Lower-Heavy/dp/B001ET6ZTG
It's a denture cushion, yes...but it takes ALL the strain from your lip (I suspect you may be compensating a bit, totally normal...it hurts) so you can focus on your embouchure. If you cut these little bad boys up to about an inch long (you should get 6-10 smaller pieces from each big piece) you can fit that to your braces and teeth to eliminate any discomfort. Waterproof medical tape works as well, but EZO is where it's really at.
Our studio uses dental wax with gauze infused into the wax. It's malleable and goes over the bottom teeth, which prevents just about all biting damage that occurs from extended playing. I'm personally not a fan of these protectors as I like the direct feedback of bottom teeth/bottom lip, but the rest of the studio swears by it. A couple of my friends practice for >6h/day with this thing without any pain whatsoever. I'll edit my post later today when I find out what exactly it's called and where to buy it.
Edit: Poster above me beat me to it, Ezo
Hey, I played with braces in HS, too. You adjust. Then adjust again when they come off. You can try the wax or paper. Or try Ezo. (http://www.amazon.com/health-personal-care/dp/B001ET6ZTG). I found this best for me. Just cut it to fit over what you need it to.
And the most active sax subreddit is /r/saxophonics.
They're these ones , iirc! They work like a charm! :-)
Haven’t seen this suggested yet, but try using a piece of EZO denture pad over your bottom teeth:
Ezo Denture Cushions, Lower Heavy, 15 Cushions (Pack of 6) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001ET6ZTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vCFZCb2RNJACR
I was having the same problems when I got serious with sax in the 8th grade (to the point every my lip would bleed or hurt too much to play anything), and used them at the suggestion of my teacher/professor at the time. I would use EZO every time I played, and the same piece will last a long time. Hell, a box should last you for years. I played on a 3.5 vandoren and selmer S90 mouthpiece.
Basically just cut a piece large enough to put over your bottom front teeth, at the pressure point where you would have pain from biting. I got to where I would cut a piece to fold once or twice over itself to make a thicker pad. It shouldn’t need to end up longer than an inch or so in length.
I could play for hours with no pain, which was handy for all the playing I had to do daily in college. And, arguably, it made my sound darker as the bottom lip became “thicker” against the reed.
Some professors argue against it, saying they don’t “need” it but who cares. It made me a better player.
Edit: another professor had me try and learn the rolled out embouchure after I had already been playing the standard way for 7 years. Too much of a change for me, I’d rather stick to playing with EZO.