More Smiles Dental Spa Dentistry Blog | James A. Moreau, Jr., D.D.S.

It can be said that almost half of the nerve impulses that go to the spinal cord and to the brain come from the lower third of the face. The muscles and nerves in this area connect back to the lower head and neck area and transmit to the brain, along with those coming from the extremities and other areas of the body.

Consider the use that these jaw and facial nerves and muscles get each and every day. Every time you swallow, the jaw moves and your teeth come together. When you talk and eat, the same muscles are fired, sending signals to the brain with every movement. If the teeth don't come together in perfect occlusion, your jaw must shift slightly or float around to try to find a comfortable spot to rest. This kind of improper bite overtaxes the jaw and prevents the face and neck muscles from fully relaxing. It creates extra tension and blocks nerve signals trying to get to the brain from other parts of the body. If the jaw is off-balance, it's more difficult to hold the rest of your body in solid alignment as well.

Through the science of neuromuscular dentistry, we use precise technology to help the jaw relax and find the natural bite that is most comfortable and relaxed. When the jaw is in a happy place, this frees up the channels for full communication along the spinal cord and to the brain without the nagging interruptions and signals coming from those significant nerves and muscles around the lower part of the face and jaw. The brain is free to signal equally to heart, lungs, and other organs, and it brings proper alignment throughout the core, leading to greater strength, flexibility and balance.

This seems pretty simplistic, but has been proven to result in improved overall strength, conditioning and performance for athletes. The PPM orthotic mouthguard holds the wearer's bite in the position that has been scientifically determined to be the happiest place for their teeth and jaws to rest and relax. A simple pen test, when placed in the mouth to simulate a neuromuscular position, can instantly demonstrate to a person the kind of difference a PPM mouthguard can make.

PPM-certified dentists have been trained in neuromuscular dentistry at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies and have the technology needed to prescribe the PPM for fabrication in the Makkar Advantage lab in Toronto, Canada.

This was my laymen's description of how the PPM works. If you'd like more information, check out www.ppmmouthguards.com.
-julie

Six other LVI-trained, PPM-certified dentists from Miami, New Jersey,
Arkansas, Alabama, Chicago, and Toronto joined Dr. Moreau at the Saints facility.


Dr. Moreau and several of our team members spent three days at the New Orleans Saints training facility last week fitting players for a neuromuscular orthotic mouthpiece that is shown to increase physical performance.

The Pure Power Mouthguard (PPM) was developed by Canadian dentist and fellow LVI doc Anil Makkar (3rd from right in photo) of Toronto. It is based on the principles of neuromuscular dentistry taught at LVI(Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies), using TENSing to help relax facial muscles and then guide the jaw into ideal occlusion with scientific computer scans and electromiography. We use the same technique in our office to diagnose and treat patients with TMJ disorders or when performing full-mouth reconstruction. Dr. Moreau was joined by a team of 6 other LVI-trained doctors from 6 other states who are PPM certified.




In the photo, Dr. Moreau places electrodes prior to TENSing.

Dr. Makkar discovered in his practice that a patient who was fitted with an orthotic device after undergoing this process found a marked increase in his athletic performance. In fact, studies (Rutgers University) have since proven that the PPM mouthguard can increase flexibility (range of motion), strength and balance.

A number of celebrity athletes have already used and endorsed PPM, including Shaquille O'Neal, Terrell Owens, Manny Ramirez and golfer Scott McCarron. And now, at least 35 Saints will be putting the PPM to the test, and expectations are that it will render better visibility of the field through improved flexibility, a more solid stance on the line due to improved balance and stability, and greater physical strength at every position.

Besides pro athletes, amateurs and weekend sportsmen are also using PPM for golfing, baseball, tennis, bicycling, weight training and other sports.

In addition to providing the Saints with PPM's, the event also provided educational opportunities for the participating doctors related to remote TENSing, impressions and K7 scans, developing a protocol for future events.



More tomorrow on exactly how PPM works.

Here's a link to an article posted recently on AOL. It would seem like something that a dentist may not necessarily want the public to access, but I have no fear of an article such as this. It provides current, relevant information to help consumers educate themselves in modern dentistry, and I am confident in how our practice compares to the questions raised in this article. In fact, we wrote and posted something similar on our website years ago...we call it "How to Select the Dentist That's Right For You." And btw, Dr. Moreau was AT the meeting to which the author of this article refers.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/08/27/secrets-your-dentist-doesnt-want-you-to-know/