About a month ago I posted about the SISU Mouthguard. I presented it as an alternative to using mouthpiece cushions or mouthpiece pads to protect your saxophone or clarinet mouthpiece. My problem was that my teeth would cut through those pads and cushions in a matter of days. I found a solution in using something that athletes use to protect their mouth and teeth, a mouth guard that conforms to the shape of your teeth, the SISU Mouthguard. So by covering the teeth instead of the mouthpiece with a very durable material my saxophone mouthpieces are protected.
My solution worked almost perfectly. The first drawback is that the SISU Mouthguard fits very tightly to your teeth and can be a little painful, but that is easily adjustable by reheating the mouthguard and reforming it. The second drawback is that there is enough extra material in your mouth, as then as it is (1.6 mm), to adversely affect your embouchure and, therefore, your playing. With practice, though, you can get around that minor problem.
The Fix!
Or, you reheat the SISU Mouthguard as if you were going to refit it (and you will) and trim it. While it is pliable, trim it with scissors so that it only covers your top front four teeth.
With a smaller portion of the mouth guard covering only the top front four teeth, it becomes easier to control your embouchure and your instrument while protecting your mouthpiece. Also, there is not much pressure on the teeth causing pain.
Using the SISU Mouthguard, for me at least, is still a great idea.
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