The Connection Bridgewater-Somerville Edition June/July/August

www.theconnectionsnj.com PAGE 50 3322 Route 22 West, Suite 1207-1208, Branchburg, NJ 08876 908-218-0300 908-218-0301 (fax) www.branchburgoralsurgery.com We Accept Most Major PPO Dental Plans Karl Maloney, D.D.S. Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon Wisdom Teeth Dental Implants Bone Grafting General Anesthesia 3D Cone Beam CT Jaw Surgery Oral Pathology Facial Trauma WHAT IS ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY? By: Karl Maloney, D.D.S. Branchburg Oral, Maxillofacial & Implant Surgery 908-218-0300 In the United States, according to the American Dental Association, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, or OMS, is “the specialty of dentistry which includes the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and esthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region.” To specialize in OMS one must first graduate from dental school. After dental school you must be accepted into a hospital-based surgical residen- cy program that can range from four to six years. All residency programs will include a number of different rotations to gain knowledge, skill and experience in mul- tiple related disciplines such as general surgery, plastic surgery, head and neck surgery, anesthesia, and internal medi- cine. The majority of time spent in resi- dency pertains to OMS. This includes caring for all patients admitted to the hospital under the OMS service, attend- ing lectures and conferences, taking 24 hour call for hospital emergencies, treating patients in the oral surgery clin- ic, and performing invasive and longer operations in the operating room. Though not required by law to prac- tice OMS, many offices and hospitals will require that surgeons become board certified in order to practice with them. This requires taking separate written and oral examinations. Only after passing both parts of the exami- nation will the surgeon be recognized by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as a diplomate. This is the highest level of recognition a surgeon can obtain within the specialty. In addition to providing multiple sur- gical services, OMS specialists also receive extensive training in anesthesia. They are able to safely offer patients general anesthesia in the office to achieve better pain control, less anxiety, and increased comfort during surgery. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons are trained to do the following: • Manage dental disease as well as sup- porting hard and soft tissue structures • Perform surgical reconstruction of the jawbones • Treatment plan and place single or multiple dental implants to restore a single tooth, multiple teeth or all teeth • Evaluate and manage traumatic injuries to the teeth, face and jaw- bones • Diagnose and treat facial pain • Diagnose and treat malignant and benign diseases of the maxillofacial region • Perform corrective jaw, craniofacial and cleft surgery • Evaluate and treat obstructive sleep apnea • Perform cosmetic procedures to improve facial aesthetics Currently, advancements are being made that are allowing surgeons to vir- tually perform procedures preoperative- ly to ensure a faster, less invasive and more accurate operation with an excel- lent outcome. In the area of bone regeneration, technology is emerging with the hope that in the future we will no longer need to harvest a patient’s bone to accomplish bony reconstruction for implant placement, or reconstruct defects secondary to trauma or disease. These are just a few examples of many that are currently being developed. As technology and science continue to improve, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery will continue to evolve and remain one of the most exciting fields in dentistry, medicine and surgery. Dr. Maloney is a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon. In addition, he is a Fellow of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and Fellow of the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. To schedule an appointment at Branchburg Oral, Maxillofacial & Implant Surgery, call 908-218-0300. Foot pain and discom- fort reveals more than the fit of your shoes – it’s also a stress signal from your glands, organs and body parts. Reflexology targets the foot/body connection, which helps ease the discomfort allowing your body to function in a more balanced way. Christel Haase, Ph.D. Certified Reflexologist 7,000 That’s how many nerve endings there are on each foot Pedicupping Reflexology Thai Foot Reflexology/Massage Reflex Foot Care w/Essential Oils Make an Appointment Today 908-806-0266 • ChristelHaase8@gmail.com 4 Walter E. Foran Blvd, Ste 404 • Flemington