The NFL conducted a summit in Chicago this week to address the growing concern that players who suffer concussions on the field also suffer long-term health consequences later in life. But one person is disappointed that he wasn't invited. Patriots team dentist Gerald Maher said neither he nor any other expert on teeth and jaw injuries was included in the summit, even though NFL research showed that 70 percent of concussions are the result of blows to the jaw. Maher is the inventor of the Maher Mouth Guard and he claims on his web site that no player wearing one has ever had a concussion as a result of a blow to the jaw. Maher can't figure out why he and other team dentists weren't at the summit.
"To not have a TMJ [temporomandibular joint] expert on the panel is extremely shortsighted," said Maher. "I don't understand why they don't. It's one of the pieces that we should be looking at. We should be looking at prevention."It's good that the NFL addressed concussions this week, but it's bizarre that team dentists weren't included in the discussion. Maher's views deserve a hearing throughout the league.
Part of the NFL's concussion crackdown, which includes neurological baseline testing for all players, will be to enforce the use of chin straps. Maher said that's more likely to hurt than help, as it locks the jaw in a position where the end of the jawbone can strike the temporal lobe of the brain.
"That's the worst possible physiological position they can put it in," said Maher.
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Does Udonis Haslem play football now?
Maher has been making his claims for several years now, and there in fact was an extensive piece in ESPN Magazine last year about it. That story reported that the NFL has consistently ignored Maher's assertions, so this new snub isn't really surprising.
The NFL concussion committee locked on to a string of studies to develop the Riddell revolution helmet instead of studying the mouth guard NFL stats proves affective. Seven million dollars was used of 50% owner and 50% player money. Why was this money used to produce a helmet for a private company. Nowinski, the WWE wrestler from Harvard states those studie should have only cost 2.5 million. This should be part of the Upshaw judiciary hearings, but it is not, why? hypocracy,negligence, greed, cover up? Where is the outrage?
On the HBO concussion special, Nowinski admits he has white spots on his brain in MRI.
In his address to the MA brain injury meetings he states, "I got kicked in the chin". The Maher theory is, His repeated concussions from blows to the jaw have led to the white spots. Vasa spasms are commonly found in boxers, Andre Waters, soldiers and are known precursors to Parkinson's, Alzheimers and brain decease. The Regimental surgeon of the U.S. Marines in Iraq and his concussion coordinators Have contacted Maher
because of the similarity in chin strap design, Soldiers in Iraq with Multiple IED exposure are developing these Vasa spasms. Ted Johnson recently stated on WEEI in Boston, he does not have these white spots or Vasa spasms. He also said he wore the Maher mouth guard for all of his thirty concussion events. The question is, does this procedure protect against vasa spasms also. When asked by officials of Walter Reed Hospital, Pellman did not tell, nor did he tell the players he was supposed to protect.
Research has proven concussion from blow to the head (cerebral)and concussions from blows to the jaw (labyrinthine) are separate events, resulting in different symptoms. This is a diagnosable condition and can determine susceptibility. Helmets anchor to the head with the chin strap are the link to the problem. Military evidence confirms what evidence shows is going on in the NFL. The force energy, from the helmet, is transferred to the skull base through the chin strap and mandible. Researchers at Tufts University have embarked on a study of this with the head and neck specialist from the N.E.Patriots. NFL statistics confirm 70% of concussion originate from the jaw area, the reasoning behind the development of the revolution helmet with Riddell. Further research in this area will help put this theory in perspective.Not to do the research is going to create further negligence. Filling in all the pieces in the concussion puzzle will shed light on the clouded introduction of this procedure. For what ever reasons the NFL has failed to recognize this as a solution to the problem, a major error. The Patriots have had the lowest concussion rate in the league every year. The fox watching the hen house has been removed, when will the shift in research occur? www.mahercor.com
Dr.Maher is available for interview between 12:00 and 2:00 by media only 781-337-6644 or Contact the Tufts media relations office
I handled a large number of teenage quadriplegics and paraplegic player's cases in the mid 70's to the mid 80's. As a result of those cases I invented the newer facemask in football that is licensed to Riddell.
The new product forced the steel manufacturers to half the weight of their facemask and reduced the number of injuries significantly. There had not been one injury with the facemask that absorbs and dissipates the impact forces. The macho players use the steel facemask.
Win at any cost has been going on for decades. The head injuries are the "invisible" injuries that can be embarrassing to the macho player.
You can see a leg and arm injuries but the head injuries remain hidden from the rest of the players.
There is a new product out on the sports market that will reduce the risk of head injuries to children in a number of sports. See www.forcefieldheadbands.com.
The headband reduces the impact force to the head.
It should also be noted that a player does not have to get hit in the head to receive a concussion. An impact with the individual's body can be more than enough to have the neck and head wind up in a whiplash.
I have tested most of the football helmets. The do the job on impacts to the helmet very well. The designs from the few manufacturers in the business are excellent.
It should also be noted that the threshold to receive the second concussion is much lower that the first.
As far as the mouthguards are concerned, they all have about the same capability of absorbing and dissipating impact forces. Nany sports require the use of mouthguards and amateur copetion rquires that it be worn. The sport of football and ice hockey are examples.
Dr. C. J. Abraham
www.scientificadvisory.com
All due respect Dr. Abraham, common mouth guards do nothing to orthopedically align and correct the jaw structure. Facemasks are one of the main conduits of energy transfer to the chin strap. They also provide sufficient tooth protection mouth guards should be primarily designed for concussion protection. Technology for a better system is staring the NFL researchers right in the face, yet they are blind to it. Why?