# Case Report: Fabrication of a plumper-type music splint for saxophone performance in a patient with a full-arch implant-supported prosthesis

## TL;DR

A custom splint improved a saxophone player's performance after dental implants reduced mouth support.

## Contribution

A novel plumper-type splint was developed to enhance embouchure stability in wind instrument players with implant-supported prostheses.

## Key findings

- The splint improved playing comfort and reduced fatigue in a saxophone player with a full-arch implant prosthesis.
- Buccal stability and low-register tone production improved to clinically meaningful levels after splint use.
- After one year, the patient reported increased ease and confidence during performance with prolonged note duration.

## Abstract

The orofacial region, particularly the lips, tongue, and teeth, plays a critical role in wind instrument performance. Wind instrument players may experience lip pain, trauma, or discomfort during performance. In patients rehabilitated with fixed implant-supported full-arch prostheses, reduced soft tissue support and intraoral volume may compromise embouchure stability and endurance.

A 55-year-old male amateur saxophone player reported early fatigue and difficulty maintaining embouchure stability after receiving a fixed implant-supported full-arch prosthesis. Clinical examination revealed a space between the prosthetic superstructure, residual alveolar ridge, and buccal mucosa. To compensate for the reduced intraoral tissue volume, a plumper-type music splint worn exclusively during instrument playing was planned. The appliance was initially fabricated as a provisional music splint, digitized using a model scanner, and finalized through computer-controlled milling of acrylic resin. Subjective evaluation of playing comfort was conducted using an exploratory 10-point scale, and maximum sustained note duration was measured.

One month after delivery, the splint showed good fit and resulted in marked improvement in playing comfort and reduction of fatigue. Performance-related functions that had been severely compromised without the splint, including buccal stability and low-register tone production, improved to clinically meaningful levels. After one year of follow-up, further improvements were observed, and the patient reported increased ease and confidence during performance, accompanied by prolonged maximum sustained note duration.

The plumper-type music splint effectively compensated for insufficient intraoral tissue volume caused by the existing implant-supported prosthesis and enhanced embouchure stability and playing comfort. This removable, low-risk appliance may represent a useful adjunct for wind instrument players who experience performance-related functional impairment following fixed full-arch implant rehabilitation.