Gerald Maher, a Massachusetts dentist, developed for football players a near invisible mouthpiece, a dental retainer that reduces the risk of a player’s teeth and jaws getting forced upwards and into the brain. This mouthpiece is made from two small, acrylic pieces that sit over the molars and are joined by strips of stainless steel, according to ESPN Sports. Thus, players can easily breathe and talk. Specifically, the retainer aligns the jaw so that, should a player’s chin, mouth or cheek get hit, the dime sized piece of cartilage between jaw and brain absorbs the shock and protects the brain. However, since the front teeth are not covered, they may break from frontal impact. The NFL has not sanctioned this retainer, but it represents dentists’ and sports professionals’ efforts to improve mouth guard fit and utilization.
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