Editor's note: Helaine Smith's column, The Mouth Physician, appears regularly on the DrBicuspid.com advice and opinion page, Second Opinion.
I learned about the Pure Power Mouthguard (PPM) and its application for sports endurance when it was first introduced through my involvement with the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies.
At the time, Manny Ramirez was playing for the Red Sox and was fitted for one. I told some of my friends who are huge baseball fans about this, and the immediate response was, "It doesn't work, and no professional player is going to wear it. They are so into their own rhythms as professional athletes, and they are superstitious and will never buy into that."
Ah, the naysayers and negative attitudes of people who are all "experts" and armchair quarterbacks.
Flash forward to the most recent Super Bowl and the New Orleans Saints. They were the first NFL team to be fitted with these mouthguards, and although some team players were nonbelievers at first, as the season went on they became convinced of the benefits. Additionally, many athletes in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver wore them as well, including gold medal winner Bode Miller (downhill skiing) and the U.S. women's hockey team.
It must be human nature to refute something that we are not informed about. Perhaps this is why we as dentists are so quick to judge new technology and apply our often outdated, misinformed knowledge to an unfamiliar concept.
Consider: digital impressions, digital radiographs, Septocaine, OraVerse, posterior composites, all-porcelain posterior crowns, neuromuscular occlusion, sleep dentistry, and administering Botox, to name a few. All are controversial topics dentists love to expound on, often casting a gloomy opinion because they do not know what they do not know.
Why are so few of us able to say, "Wow, what a great concept, I need to learn more" -- instead of condemning something they do not know anything about and are not willing to spend the time or money to learn about. Many dentists seem to want to stay in the Stone Age of models and impressions, and ignore digital technology. Unfortunately, these attitudes keep us relegated to being tooth plumbers.
I firmly believe it is our obligation as healthcare providers to provide the latest and best care for our patients, and do so with proficiency. A dental license only allows us to practice at a minimum level. It is our duty to continually learn and improve our knowledge. We must respect our profession and act like mouth physicians.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
Copyright © 2010 DrBicuspid.com
