Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Center For Temporomandibular Disorders And Oral-Facial Surgery

Comprehensive care for temporomandibular jaw syndrome, oral surgery, and facial reconstruction is now available in Washington Township through Cooper University Hospital. "The Center for Temporomandibular Disorders and Oral-Facial Surgery is South Jersey’s first and only state-of-the-art academic center offering patients relief from the full spectrum of temporomandibular disorders [TMDs],” said Brian M. Smith, DMD, Head of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Cooper. “We also offer immediate-loading [one-day] dental implants and minimally invasive arthroscopic and endoscopic surgery.”

TMD is a group of conditions that affect the jaw [temporomandibular] joints and muscles. TMD causes a variety of painful symptoms, including: pain during chewing; limited ability to open the mouth; jaw “locking” or clicking; pain in the face, neck, or shoulder; or a sudden change in the alignment of the upper and lower teeth. TMD can be caused by injury, stress, or dislocation of the disc between the jawbone and socket. Women are twice as likely as men to get TMD.

Accurate diagnosis can take time, but it’s critical to determining the best plan of care. TMD may go away with little or no treatment, but some people develop significant, long-term problems.

“Unfortunately, there is no little pink pill that makes this go away, and detecting the problem can be a long process. The key is to carefully listen to the patient and understand his or her symptoms and concerns,” said Dr. Smith. “Each patient is unique and needs a personalized treatment plan.”

Cooper’s step-by-step treatment plans for TMD may include medications for pain and muscle relaxation, stress management, or assistive devices such as splints or bite protectors. This is part of the center’s holistic approach, which considers the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects of a patient’s health.

Three Cooper oral and maxillofacial surgeons form the core of the center’s team. Joining Dr. Smith are H. Dexter Barber, DDS, and Joseph Mulligan, DMD. A TMD physical therapist, a Tai Chi instructor, psychologists, orthodontists, and prostodontists are brought in as needed.

Drs. Smith, Barber, and Mulligan start most patient care plans with simple treatments and move on to other treatments as necessary. “Our goal is to avoid surgery, and we usually do,” said Dr. Smith.

When surgery is the right solution, the center’s doctors use minimally invasive surgery techniques. Cooper is one of a few centers in the U.S. offering in-office arthroscopy, in which tiny telescope-like instruments and tiny surgical tools are used to see inside the joint and repairs any problems.

For patients who are missing teeth, implants are used to stabilize the jaw joint. Dr. Dexter, a national expert in dental implants, is one of only a few doctors in South Jersey using immediateloading implants. Unlike regular implants, which take about eight months, immediate-loading implants can be completed in one day. Other surgical solutions for TMD include open joint surgery to repair soft tissue damage, and, as a last resort, jaw replacement surgery.

The center also handles oral-facial surgery and reconstruction for injuries, misaligned jaws, imported teeth and other problems. As part of Cooper’s Level 1 Trauma Center - South Jersey’s only Level 1 Trauma Center - Drs. Smith, Barber, and Mulligan handle the most severe facial injuries in South Jersey. They are the only oral surgeons on the East Coast performing endoscopic procedures for facial fractures, which avoids major scarring and fosters quicker recovery.

Cooper’s medical complex at Bunker Hill in Washington Township provides easy access to Cooper doctors and specialty programs. Located on Plaza Drive, behind the Bunker Hill Plaza, the complex features a full range of medical and surgical specialties.