Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What results can be expected from using the PPM?
Results vary from person to person, depending on the varying degrees of stability their jaws muscles have to begin with. Because the PPM helps to stabilize the jaw and neck muscles and to protect against muscle weakness, there is an immediate improvement in strength and balance. The PPM doesn’t make people stronger than they already are, but it does help release your natural or native strength. Significant improvements in range-of-motion and balance are also noticed when the PPM is used during athletic activity or in strength training and conditioning exercising.

Who is a candidate for the PPM?
Not everyone is a candidate. You must have teeth in the back of your mouth for the mouthguard to adequately support your jaws. Dental conditions need to be adequately healthy to wear a mouthguard. People with worn down or broken teeth, missing restorations and fillings, loose teeth, and clicking jaw joints may not be suitable candidates for a recreational PPM mouthguard. They would be advised to have their dental and jaw joint conditions resolved with appropriately trained dentists before making a PPM mouthguard.

What if I have orthodontic braces?
Orthodontic treatments (braces) are a contraindication for the PPM. This means that it would not be advised to have a PPM during active orthodontic teeth movement.

What health requirements are there for getting a PPM?
PPM mouthguards are made to a precise bite position for the jaws. In order to determine this position best, it is necessary to use a TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Neural Stimulation) medical device to relax muscles and increase blood circulation in the jaw and neck muscles. This procedure is not advised for women who are pregnant, or for people with cardiac pacemakers.

Is there science to back up the claims or is this just a gimmick?
No gimmick here! The PPM is based on two very important health ideas. The first is basic protection of the teeth and jaws against blunt force trauma as well as protecting the brain against concussion. The second is based on the principles of neuromuscular dentistry which is the science of how the jaws fit and work best against the base of the skull.
Emerging research is documenting the importance of having jaw and neck balanced and aligned properly. When they are, the nerves and muscles of the head and neck are able to work together in a comfortable and stable manner without introducing muscle guarding and weakness which decreases balance, strength and stamina.

Why does the PPM cost more than “regular” mouthguards?
The Pure Power Mouthguard is considerably more expensive than other custom made mouthguards, and certainly more than boil-and-bite mouthguards available online or in sporting goods stores. Custom made guards are often fabricated by other dentists who are not PPM certified or trained in neuromuscular principles. They are valuable for protection against damage and injury to the teeth, but are unable to deliver the same performance enhancing benefits that at true PPM mouthguard is able to give.

The PPM mouthguard is an extremely precision built mouthguard that is “dialed in” to a precise measurement for supporting a stable biting jaw position. This requires sophisticated electronic instrumentation normally used for treating actual TMJ and/or headache patients in a dental clinic.

Will it hurt my bite, jaw joint, or teeth?
No. In fact it will help them. Every PPM mouthguard is made with precision accuracy to fit your teeth and in your mouth perfectly. The jaw joint will actually be decompressed and held away from the skull or back side of the joint space, which is why mouthguards are thought to protect against concussion.

Is the PPM a legal sports equipment device?
Yes, everything about the PPM is “legal”. Jokingly, some athletes and some in the media have referred to the PPM as “legal steroids” because of the way they enhance performance. While this tongue-in-cheek reference may fit due to its performance enhancing affects, the PPM mouthguard is nonetheless a very legal and welcome addition to the world of exercise training and athletic competition. (However, your opponents may wish it were illegal!)

Is there a difference in PPM mouthguards for full-contact
and non-contact sports?
Yes. There are different PPM mouthguard models depending on the type of sports engaged in. Several factors are taken into consideration when selecting the type and style of PPM mouthguard, including, need for speech, degree of competitive contact in the sport, risk of injury due to blunt force, etc.

Full-contact sports such as rugby, football, basketball, and hockey demand full protection of all the teeth from blows to the face. Non-contact activities and sports such as tennis, gymnastics, cycling, and track and field athletics, use a mouthguard on the lower teeth which repositions the jaw into a more powerful and stable bite position.

Can teenagers and adolescents use a PPM?
Yes. There is a Junior PPM mouthguard model for teenagers. However, due to considerations and concerns about ongoing jaw growth and facial development, these mouthguards must be replaced more frequently to allow for proper skeletal and dental development. Junior mouthguards must never be used in successive years or for prolonged times, especially during periods of active skeletal growth and development.