New gear protects athletes

January 29, 2009 by Courtney Anaya 

Competitors turn to mouthguard for performance boost

Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva is inviting any athlete or fitness enthusiast to his new training center this Saturday, Jan. 31 for a free seminar on the new Pure Power Mouthguard and a sneak peek into his gym that is not yet open to the public.

Silva recently opened Wand Fight Team, a 10,000-square-foot training center in Las Vegas. It is the first mixed martial arts training center to have a regulation-size octagon and a high-altitude training area that simulates the air thinness at high elevation. Silva invites all athletes or anyone interested in advancing their athletic performance to attend the seminar this Saturday.

Doctors developed the Pure Power Mouthguard after developing orthotic mouthpieces for patients with Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome. TMJ happens when the lower jawbone is not aligned correctly. It can cause pain in some people but most do not even realize the misalignment.

“Because our bodies adapt to things so well, the muscles just put up with it,” said Dr. Olya Banchik, one of four doctors in Las Vegas certified to fit patients with the PPM.

PPM aligns the jaw to a relaxed position to correct TMJ. According to the New York State Dental Journal, jaw repositioning can enhance appendage muscular strength and athletic performance. After noticing improvements in patients’ balance and flexibility with mouthpieces, doctors decided to test the mouthpiece on athletes.

Banchik conducts her own tests of strength, flexibility and endurance before fitting athletes for mouthpieces. After the mouthpieces are in place, she conducts the same tests again and compares the results.

“Everyone has shown improvement,” Banchik said, “There is supposed to be a segment of the population that does not improve, but I have yet to find them.”

Banchik has been fitting athletes for more than five months. She has fit cyclists, weight lifters and non-professional athletes who just want to improve their performance. 

Silva is the spokesperson for PPM in Las Vegas. Before being fitted for the PPM Silva was wearing a mouthpiece that was fitted for him by a doctor, but was not as comfortable.  It was bulkier and affected his breathing. The PPM mouthpiece, he says, has greatly improved his training.

“It’s good for increasing power, balance and control,” Silva said, “it’s very advanced.”

Silva has been fighting professionally in mixed martial arts since 1996. He fought professionally in Japan for six years and signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2007. He has won 32 of his 43 professional fights and has knocked out over half of his opponents.

“The mouthguard is for any athlete, not just for fighters,” Silva said. “MMA is one of the top most physically demanding sports to train for, so this mouthpiece can work with any sport.”

For Silva, 32, protecting against injury is a primary concern. As he continues to fight, Silva’s longevity is directly affected by his ability to stay healthy.

Wand Fight Team is located at 4631 Dean Martin Drive in Las Vegas. It will be open this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees can meet and chat with Silva between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.