Our specialists in the Department of Dentistry & Oral Surgery provide comprehensive care for patients with teeth, mouth, jaw and facial disorders. We perform restorative dental care, root canal and periodontal treatment, and implant dentistry, using the most advanced technologies. All patients have the benefit of working with our board certified dental anesthesiologists. They give our patients – children and adults, for any of a number of different reasons – the benefits of the very latest in sedation options. In addition to making the experience more pleasant, this allows patients to have their work done in fewer sittings.
All modalities of facial injuries ranging from complex injuries involving the craniomaxillofacial skeleton to lacerations and salivary gland injuries are treated. We also run an outpatient and inpatient service for patients of all ages with facial infections and lesions requiring biopsies, disorders involving the tongue, teeth, palate and floor-of-mouth, and for patients needing implants and other surgical restorative treatments.
We have expanded our treatment of dentofacial deformities and are now using Virtual Surgical Planning (VSP®) for these complex surgeries and 3-dimensional analyses to guide surgery and optimize patient outcomes. This includes facial asymmetry, retruded or receding lower jaw, upper jaw or enlarged lower, or upper jaws and open bite. We work closely with orthodontists to treat some of these cases. These abnormalities may lead to sleep apnea or other airway-related issues, social and psychological problems, difficulties in mastication, speech disorders, periodontal disease and dental caries.
The Division of OMS performs corrective jaw surgery for sleep apnea patients, guided by 3-dimensional imaging, which allows our specialists to improve function and esthetics. Maxillomandibular advancement, one type of these surgeries, can be the most effective surgical intervention for this sleep disorder. Cone-beam imaging allows us to project airway benefits for what can be truly life-altering surgeries.
Many patients with temporomandibular joint disorders (or TMJ) can also benefit from these surgical and imaging modalities. For those patients who experience difficulty or a complete inability to open or close their mouth, quality of life can otherwise be severely impacted.
Our oral facial pain specialist manages acute and chronic pain of the head and neck. While patients are responsive to medications, many respond to our use of laser therapy. Additionally, our pediatric and general dentists bring children, special needs patients, and dental phobic patients to the OR for comprehensive dental treatment if our IV sedation suite is not the right setting for dental treatment.