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New mouthguard suits slugger

By Michael Silverman
Red Sox Notebook – Boston Herald.com
Thursday, May 22, 2008

It’s not a tobacco pouch, a bag of sunflower seeds or a pack of bubble gum, but sitting in a “D”-shaped container in Manny Ramirez’ left back pocket is a little device that the Red Sox slugger has been popping into his mouth before at-bats this season.

It is a high-tech mouthpiece – a Pure Power Mouthguard, to be precise – that Ramirez uses to help relax his jaw, neck and head muscles as he swings his bat. The theory behind the device is, according to Dr. Steven Bader of Ultimate Aesthetics in Newton and a representative for its maker, that when the muscles of the head and neck are relaxed to the point where the lower jaw position can be measured, “you can create a bite that improves strength, balance and flexibility.”

Boston Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez adjusts
his mouth guard in the fifth inning last night.

The science of how a relaxed jaw can optimize an athlete’s performance

By Karl Yu
Epoch Times Staff May 14, 2008

The greatest hockey player that ever lived, Wayne Gretzky, paraded around in a porous helmet – it’s a wonder he never suffered a concussion. And football used to be played with leather helmets in days gone by.

While the Riddells and CCMs of the world have helped advance protective headwear, a company based in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada is hoping to do the same for mouth protection with the Pure Power Mouthguard (PPM).

We all know the classic mouthguard – a piece of plastic you drop into boiling water and bite on to conform to the shape of your jaw.

The PPM takes it one step further.

Developed by Dr. Anil Makkar and trainer Chuck Sproule using a special TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation) machine, an athlete’s jaw is stimulated so that it is completely relaxed.

“TENS is like a mild electrical massage to the nerves that move the muscles of the face, shoulders, and neck,” explained Dr. Gary Lederman, a certified New York area doctor and part owner of the company that makes the mouthguard.

“The muscles become relaxed and refreshed, making the location of the jaw’s optimal position possible.”

With the jaw well positioned, the athlete is ready to be fitted by a certified dentist.

“A bite is taken using jaw tracking, and EMGs [electromyograms] measure muscle activity,” added Dr. Mike Bixby, who is also a part owner based in New York.

“This allows us in real-time to see where in space the jaw’s best position is. Using very accurate dental impressions [molds] and this bite you are ready to have the PPM made.”

According to PPM makers, having the facial muscles in complete relaxation does more than offer athletes peace of mind. It can improve posture and enhance upper body strength.

In fact, they say balance and strength can be increased upwards of 50 percent.

“Muscles hold our body upright,” explained Dr. Bixby.

“In order to stand we need a certain amount of tone in the muscles. If your body is out of balance, these muscles have to work harder to hold your body. Proper bite balance has a domino effect down the spine allowing muscles to work more efficiently. This doesn’t make you stronger. It allows you to use the strength you have more effectively,” added Dr. Bixby.

“Additionally, with optimal alignment, there is less tension to overcome. As a result, there is an improvement in range of motion, strength, and flexibility,” elaborated Dr. Lederman.

With the jaw relaxed and in alignment, posture perfect, and upper body muscles expending energy in the most efficient manner, the athlete can perform better and the mouthguard can help absorb the brunt of trauma to the jaw as well.

And that’s the primary job of a mouthguard after all, says Dr. Bixby.

“The guard itself is designed to protect your teeth in an impact,” he said.

“It is also designed to protect an impact in the jaw from traveling through the joint into the skull. Relaxed muscles are actually more resistant to injury. It has a better ability to flex rather than rip. The ideal combination is a relaxed muscle and material that protects the joint from impacts. The PPM does both.”

One of the proponents of the equipment is former Seattle Seahawks and current St. Louis Rams kicker Josh Brown.

Brown ranked eighth in the NFL in scoring, making 82 percent of his field goals, the longest being a 54-yarder last season.

“There is really something to having structural integrity and the PPM enhances that,” Brown said in a release.

“Ask any engineer, he isn’t going to build a building by just throwing up pipes and beams – you want the building to have the proper strength and integrity – it is the same thing with the PPM.”

“Did you ever notice how many players take out their guard after every play or chew on them?” asked Dr. Bixby.

“This is because they’re not comfortable. A PPM fits very well, so athletes don’t feel the need to play with them.”

The price of the PPM ranges from $1,600. and $2000.

By: Diana Palotas

Mover over steroids and HGH. A mouth guard may give you the edge you’re looking for.

Most kids who play contact sports must wear a mouth guard to protect their teeth. Could such an appliance be a performance enhancer as well?

Steve Smith of the Panthers thinks so. So does fellow teammate Jake DelHomme. They are two of the 150 professional and collegiate athletes trying out the new Pure Power Edge Mouth Guard. It was invented by a Canadian dentist and now fitted by Rochester’s Doctor Paul Sussman.

The Edge is based on this principle:

“Extend your arms out and I am going to try and push down as hard as I can. It doesn’t take that much effort,” Dr. Sussman said.

Then I put two cotton rolls into my mouth to bite down on and he tries again.

“I want you to resist as hard as you can,” said Dr. Susman. “It’s taking some of the stress out of your jaw. Your teeth are not coming together.

The science behind the mouth guard says it helps your jaw come forward and opens up your airway.

Jim Nonnemacher is having a new mouth guard made.

By using electrical stimulation to the muscles, they can see on the scans where Nonnemacher’s jaw muscles are in their most relaxed position. An unrelaxed jaw can lead to headaches or worn or broken teeth.

“It improves the muscle alignment,” Dr. Sussman said. “It takes the tension and the torque out of your jaw so your muscles are more harmonious and it opens up your airway.

Sussman says some athletes have seen a 25 percent improvement in their performance.

The Pure Power Edge Mouth Guard runs $800to $1,600 and it can only be found at specially trained dentists.

One of baseball’s best is extolling the virtues of innovative mouthguard

JASON MALLOY
The Truro Daily News

Dr. Anil Makkar, right, has found a friend in Manny Ramirez.
The Boston Red Sox outfielder is the biggest name
professional athlete to wear Makkar’s Pure Power Edge.

TRURO – One of the most feared hitters in professional baseball is sporting a new look with a Truro connection this spring.

Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez is the latest athlete to sign up for the Pure Power Edge, a piece of plastic which improves strength and balance by placing the jaw in the optimal position to enhance performance. Truro dentist Dr. Anil Makkar and partner fitness trainer Chuck Sproule developed the mouthpiece and mouthguard.

Makkar was in Fort Myers, Florida on Saturday to deliver the Edge to Red Sox players, who had tested the product three weeks earlier, when Ramirez asked to speak with Makkar in private.
“He says, ‘Doc, I’ve been getting crazy results with this mouthpiece,’” he said.

The 11-time all-star who receives upwards of 200 requests a month to endorse products even asked Makkar if he could be their spokesman.

“Every time he hits a ball he’s going to smile at the camera and point to it,” Makkar said Monday.
“You couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Makkar said it was unbelievable to receive that kind of endorsement.
“Manny said, ‘if you’re not using an appliance such as this you’re not playing to your fullest potential,’” the founder said.

Makkar has always believed in the product’s science despite critics scoffing at the idea. Now he has testimonials from professional athletes providing more credibility.
“I have heard from the best that it does work,” he said proudly.
“Pro athletes have proven to me that it does work.”

The Edge uses the same science as the mouthguard but is designed to only cover the bottom teeth and is for traditionally non-contact sports like baseball, golf and swimming.

Currently two universities, Rutgers in New Jersey and the University of Calgary, are conducting studies to test the product.

Makkar is also receiving interest from investors who want to do an initial public offering on the stock market south of the border.

Some potential investors believe the company can become as big as Nike and Reebok.

jmalloy@trurodaily.com