Pro athletes buying into mouthguard technology

TRURO - Chuck Sproule has heard the skeptics.
In fact, he's been called everything under the sky when he pitches his mouthguard as a performance enhancer.
But it doesn't deter him and his business partner dentist Anil Makkar.
"We know our product works," Sproule said.
And so they have taken the product, created in Truro, to professional athletes across North America, the United Kingdom and Australia.
"We are 150 per cent confident in our product," Makkar said. "We knew we had to approach the professional teams... Testimonials from these guys are pretty powerful."
After trying the product, athletes are buying into the technology.
For instance, a college basketball team tested their vertical with and without the custom mouthguards. Each player gained between two and three inches while the shortest player added four inches.
"From a sports point-of-view it's amazing what people can do with it," Makkar said. "For me, it's just jaw-dropping."
The Pure Power MouthGuard uses neuromuscular dentistry to relax the muscles and place the athlete's jaw in the optimal position to enhance performance. The mouthguard brings the lower jaw down and forward to align the athlete's bite. For some it increases balance, breathing or upper body strength.
"This is more than a mouthguard," said Makkar, who referred to it as a legal performance enhancer.
Now it is being worn by members of NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks, the NHL's Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens, the NBA's Indiana Pacers, the NCAA's Florida Gators basketball and football teams as well as competitors in Ultimate Fighting Challenge.
And it's not just fringe players either. Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith and Chiefs quarterback Damon Huard are just two examples of the elite athletes suiting up with the guards.
The mouthguards run for between $749 and $1,6000.
"When it becomes mainstream, the price won't be an issue," Sproule said. "You've got to bridge that gap that it is just protecting teeth."
The two have had people come back to them after losing their mouthguard to buy another after trying to play without it. "They need the competitive advantage," said Sproule.
The business partners find themselves amazed at the end of a long day of showcase their technology.
"Who would ever think that two guys from Truro would have such an impact on sports?" said Makkar.

jmalloy@trurodaily.com