Page 23 - September 2019

I n our culture of science and technology,

it isn't every day that a new medical
invention hits the market. After years
of dental study, research, and trials,
Beaufort's own, Dr. Chris Mohler created
M8, the first patented concussion mitigating
orthotic. For sports teams and military, this
invention can be life changing.
The M8 may look like a fitted mouth guard,
but it's anything but a simple guard. "Its secret
is all in the bite," explains Dr. Mohler. "The
orthotic moves the lower jaw downwards
and forwards, opening the joint space of the
jaw." The dentist of over thirty years shared
his invention by explaining the necessity
of such a mouthpiece. "Seventy percent of
concussion in football involves the lower jaw.
Ninty percent of all impacts in football that
cause unconsciousness come from a blow
to the jaw forcing the jawbone up and back
into the temporal bone (in front of the ear),
which is the thinnest part of the skull. The Dr. Mohler credits his treatment of patients who were in jaw joint
concussion forces are transmitted from the jaw into the skull causing pain, healed, and became more active for his journey to create the
a traumatic brain injury (TBI)." He continued, "M8 locks the jaw in a M8. "As I studied concussion more, the repositioning of the lower
position that opens the jaw joint moving the jawbone away from the jaw downward and forward made sense because it opened the
temporal bone, dissipating the force away from the skull – mitigating space and decreased the possibility of the jaw ramming into the
concussions. It is clear that managing the position of the jaw is thin temporal bone," explained the dentist. "Sometimes the simplest
central to concussion mitigation." answer is the best answer."
Dr. Mohler spent eight years developing and proving the As of now, Dr. Mohler has fitted Army Rangers, several SEALs that
concept. Two studies were conducted at State College with Dr. wore them in combat, and a squadron of DELTA operators. "Combat
Michael Manahan, who tested the pads that are currently used and football are very similar in the ability to suffer a traumatic brain
in the NFL and College Football. M8 beat out all competing injury through concussions," explained the dentist. He has also fit
guards and was proven to be effective up to a 52 G impact. many USC Gamecocks for the last four years. In August, Dr. Mohler
"Unconsciousness can occur in impacts as low as 4 - 8 Gs," and his team fitted players from USC in preparation for their season
explained the dentist. "Dr. Manahan labeled M8 to be an important kickoff. Just last year the M8 was awarded a patent. The rollout to
part of the concussion puzzle." In fact, the future goal is to see high the market is currently underway.
school players through professional athletes and military using this Dr. Mohler humbly admits he was always good in science
device. "I am convinced that brain damage occurs early in football classes. Encouragement from a family friend helped him decide
impacts," said the dentist. "There is strong evidence that it can occur on the medical field. "Being on call and away from family for long
in high school football. High school players need to have this hours was not appealing," said the dentist. "Dentistry was a nice
orthotic as part of their gear."
compromise. And over the years, I have
been pleased to see dentistry moving
more and more into the medical world."
A graduate in 1986 from Loyola
University of Dentistry in Chicago, Dr.
Mohler received the degree Doctor of
Dental Surgery or DDS. Over the last
twenty years, his focus of practice has
evolved. Now he focuses much of his
time on occlusion, which deals with the
stomatognathic system, or the muscles
of the mouth, lower face and upper
cervical spine, the temporomandibular
joints (TMJs) located in front of your ears,
and the teeth. Doctor Mohler explained,
"This is a delicately balanced system and
if treated correctly will give a lifetime of
comfort and health. Treated incorrectly,
such as malposed or missing teeth,
broken or decayed teeth, patch work

BeaufortLifestyle.com | September 2019 23