Work

Case Report: Digital fabrication of a music splint oral appliance for lip irritation in a brass player

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Playing a wind instrument requires coordinated orofacial function, and oral conditions may influence both comfort and musical performance. Among brass musicians, dental crowding or irregular incisal morphology may cause mechanical irritation of the lip while playing. This case report describes the fabrication and evaluation of a music splint for a professional trombonist with recurrent lower-lip pain while playing. A conventionally fabricated provisional splint was first provided, followed by a definitive splint designed using a digital workflow based on intraoral scanning and computer-aided design. Subjective outcomes were evaluated using a visual analog scale, and objective outcomes were assessed by psychoacoustic and rhythm analyses under multiple performance conditions. Both the provisional and the definitive splints reduced lip pain and improved playing comfort. After adjustment of the definitive splint, the expected dynamic patterns of loudness and sharpness were maintained, while rhythm stability was similar to that observed without a splint, suggesting no marked deterioration in the measured performance characteristics. This case suggests that digitally fabricated music splints may be a useful clinical option for managing lip irritation in brass musicians while preserving musical performance.

Source: Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1854538