What's New...

Bill photographing Dr. Geoffrey Knight, BDS from Melbourne, Australia presenting new ideas in repairing and saving teeth at a seminar we hosted for our study group.

Dr. Domb is the coordinator of the Inland Institute of Aesthetic Dentistry and the mentor to the Inland Cosmetic Dentistry Study Group.

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Presentation at our Inland Cosmetic Study Group meeting.

It's called The Pure Power Mouthguard (PPM), a technological wonder developed by Canadian dentist, Dr. Anil Makkar. By holding his jaw in a position that allows his jaw and neck muscles to completely relax, The PPM is literally giving Ramirez an edge in strength, balance and flexibility.

"Incredible," is how Ramirez describes it. "I pop this thing in my mouth before I go to the plate, and man do I feel a difference. Just like that, I feel stronger, and more relaxed. And when you're feeling relaxed and in tune with your body, you can do some damage… I just love it," he says.

The star slugger has been showing off the device during games. He knows the device is helping improve his game, especially during the play offs.

Manny Ramirez models mouthguard

Dr. Anil Makkar, the neuromuscular dentist who invented the device, says that years of research went into designing his mouth guard. "This is about human physiology," he says. "Over 90% of the population has a misaligned bite, which causes muscle tension. When the neck and jaw muscles are tense, the body can't perform at optimal efficiency. Strength and balance are diminished. In the simplest terms, what The PPM does is allow the body to perform at its absolute peak, in a purely natural way."

To achieve this kind of efficiency, athletes who are interested in using The PPM must be fitted by specially trained and licensed dentists. Dr. Makkar, a graduate of the reputable Las Vegas Institute (LVI) for Advanced Dentistry, says that the key to getting the perfect fit is the use of state-of-the-art equipment which monitors the condition of the jaw muscles so that a dentist can determine where the optimal bite position is.

"Once we know where the optimal bite position is, we can then fit the mouth guard," says Makkar. "So whenever they put the device in their mouth, it will hold their jaw in the perfect position, freeing up the rest of the body to perform at it's best."

In the case of star slugger, Manny Ramirez, he was fitted for The PPM during spring training in Fort Myers. During a session that lasted almost one hour, a machine called the J5 myomonitor was used to induce his jaw muscles into a state of relaxation. Once his jaw could be opened into it's most relaxed position, a mold was made.

"There are a lot of dentists throughout North America and around the world who are fitting athletes with The Edge," says Dr. Makkar. "That number is growing at an exponential rate."

The PPM is indeed taking off. It is part of a comprehensive mouth guard system. One protects the upper teeth, while the other, worn on the lower jaw, holds the jaw in optimal position. Currently, there are over 200 dentists in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore, who offer the appliance to professional and amateur athletes. The list of world class athletes using The Edge is also growing.

One notable fan of the device is St. Louis Rams kicker, Josh Brown. Brown says that The Edge has allowed him to run significantly faster, which he attributes to making a number of tackles over the last season with the Seattle Seahawks. "Who thinks of a kicker making tackles?" he says. "But last season I made five or six, which is incredible for a kicker."

Brown says that The PPM allows him to lift an additional 20 or 30 pounds in each exercise he does in the weight room.

Other notable athletes using The PPM include Scott McCarron, PGA, Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks, and Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons.

There are currently over 200 professional athletes using The PPM, from MLB, the NBA, NFL, NHL, and UFC. As well, there are over 1000 collegiate, Olympic and amateur athletes who are embracing The PPM phenomenon.

Dr. Makkar believes that The PPM will soon be a hit with athletes of all levels of ability.

"I would encourage anyone who is interested in improving their athletic ability to talk to a dentist about taking a short and simple test for The Edge. We all have different goals when it comes to sports, but there isn't anyone who wouldn't like to have an overall increase in strength, balance, and range of motion. The Edge is a great, natural way to achieve these things."

As for Manny Ramirez's goals? One only needs to watch him in batting practice to understand. One only needs to witness the grace, speed, and frightening power with which he swings the bat.

"This is the game I love," he says solemnly, after knocking one over the fence in left-centre. "Better believe I'm going to make the most of it."

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Yes, we do make various types of mouthguards and strongly recommend them for all playing sports that can knock out and chip teeth.  But they also help cut risk for brain-damaging concussion and can improve performance in any sport that makes demands on upper body strength.  The Olympics committee found this out many years ago.  About 25% of athletes had a 15% increase in upper body strength.  You can TRY this yourself with a simple boil-and-bite guard, but more modern techniques can put us closer to your body's 'sweet spot'.  --Dr. D

Lenora Scores at LA Fair

Chairside nurse Lenora knocked out the competition with a number of wins at the LA County Fair this year.  She competed in jams, jellies, pickles and other preserved foods.  Her neighborhood must have smelled great while all this was in preparation! 

She also competed alongside her mother and grandmother.

Congratulations, Lenora!

The Agony of De Feet

We support the Avon Breast Cancer Walk

Cindi, Shari and Cindi's daughter Courtney raised over nine thousand dollars to support research into the defeat of breast cancer.   1,650 women and men walked in this year's fundraiser and they collectively raised upwards of 4 million dollars.

Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with breast cancer in the US.

This year's 40-mile walk started and finished at the Queen Mary.  Great going, gals!

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