Equipment Review:
Pure Power Mouthguard
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

There’s a new piece of golf gear used in other sports, too, that has even medical experts dropping their jaws when considering the results after its use. The theory behind this new apparatus – a twist on the sports and dental orthotic mouth piece – is to induce relaxation and therefore heighten performance. And thus far, Pure Power Athletics, Inc., maker of the Pure Power Mouthguard (PPM), are letting their product do the talking.

There are studies coming out now that reveal relaxed jaw muscles improve athletic performance. I’m living proof of that theory. In recent years, I’ve undergone extensive tests involving my lower and upper back, neck, jaw and teeth. I wore a daytime orthotic for almost a year, and continue to wear a night time mouthguard to keep my newly-aligned jaw in place.

Thanks to the care I received through Dr. David Rawson’s team at Southwest Wellness Centre in London, my jaw has aligned, causing fewer dizzy spells and migraines. In fact, a more balanced feel during golf has seen me go onto scoring many times in the low- to mid-60s during the past three golf seasons.

PGA Tour competitor Steve Elkington, and baseball’s Manny Ramirez are just a few of the pro athletes now wearing a custom-made PPM from Canadian dentist Dr. Anil Makkar. Pure Power Athletics, with headquarters in Oakville, Ontario now has international credibility throughout the sports world.

The theory behind the PPM is, it relaxes the jaw muscles, thus relaxing the athlete and allowing for maximum performance. They’re not cheap – a PPM will run you anywhere from $1,250 to $2,000. But when you think of the benefits, it is a wise investment.

Dr. Neil Elman of Willow Dental Associates in Toronto and Mississauga, Ontario is certified in aesthetic and neuromuscular – or TMJ – dentistry, and is involved with the PPM. TMJ is the commonly used abbreviation for the temporomandibular joint – the only joint in the body which moves separately from its counterpart at the other side of the jaw. A misaligned jaw can cause havoc in any number of ways – I suffered dizziness and migraines almost daily before wearing my orthotic.

Custom fitted and designed by a PPM-qualified dentist, the PPM is the result of 40 years of proven neuromuscular dentistry research. It’s a mouthpiece that can deliver an edge to your training, better balance, longer endurance, improved strength, more power and expanded range.

“It just makes sense from every level,” says Dr. Elman. “What I see with the PPM, because it’s based on neuromuscular, is a way to reach the public, make them aware of how we can do so much for them if they suffer from headaches, for example. What better way to get rid of your headaches, and add to your athletic performance? Who wouldn’t want five strokes better?”

Former Pittsburgh Pirates first round draft pick, Bobby Bradley, is a baseball player turned long drive golf competitor. After five surgeries, two herniated disks, nerve damage and Carpel Tunnel surgery, Tommy John surgery and a rib removal – all following only the 10th game of his first season of pro ball in 2000 – Bradley turned to pro long drive contests. He also wears a PPM.

“The PPM, with my balance in focus and strength, and being relaxed at the tee box, (has helped) my accuracy get 100 times better,” says Bradley. “The first thing I saw was strength. They had me do a flexibility test and I went about 1.5 feet further.” He calls the PPM “a performance training device.”

According to Dr. Elman, “We recognize that muscles are king. If muscles are not happy in their position, the jaw, the leg, your hip, your neck, your back – something is going to give. They’re going to send out messages that say, ‘This is not right.’ That’s when the pain starts.”

Pure Power Athletics offers two dental appliances: the Makkar PPM Impact for impact sports; and the Makkar PPM Bite for non-contact sports. There are more than 1,000 professional and collegiate athletes from around the world wearing the PPM.

To learn more about the PPM, visit the Pure Power Athletics web site at www.ppmmouthguard.com