5-Minute Consult: Dr. Justine Moe Explains Oral and Maxillofacial Services Available at Chelsea Hospital

Q: What do oral and maxillofacial physicians treat?

Dr. Moe: We are experts in treating conditions of the mouth, jaw, head and neck. We perform in-office procedures, which includes extracting teeth, wisdom teeth, dental implants, and biopsies. We also take care of other issues as well, which may include surgeries at the hospital, including head and/or neck trauma, growth deformities, cleft lip and palate, benign tumors and cancers of the head and/or neck, and temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD), which is where you have pain in your joints when you open your mouth or chew food.

Q: With a broad scope of treatment, is there any additional training oral and maxillofacial physicians need?

Dr. Moe: Yes — what makes oral and maxillofacial physicians unique is most of us have over eight years of professional training. We have training in general surgery and anesthesia as a part of our residency. I completed dental school, medical school, oral and maxillofacial surgery residency and subspecialty fellowship training in head and neck oncology.

Q: What common conditions do you treat?

Dr. Moe: The most common symptoms an oral surgeon treats include mouth pain, problems eating/chewing, and spots, ulcers and masses in the head/neck.

My clinical focus is pathology of the head and neck. I treat many patients who have oral cancer and other cancerous and non-cancerous tumors in that region of the body. I also perform surgeries for those conditions and reconstructive surgeries.

Q: How do patients develop these conditions?

Dr. Moe: We treat a wide scope of conditions that have different causes. Oral cancers are related to smoking and excessive amounts of alcohol. Cleft lip and palate and growth deformities are developmental and are related to growth in utero and during childhood. TMD can be caused by overuse of the jaw, anxiety or stress. Dental pain and infections are related to untreated cavities, so it is very important to see your dentist regularly.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share to the community?

Dr. Moe: One thing that makes our practice unique is we offer surgeries in both the office and the hospital. We provide anesthesia and sedation for in-office procedures. We also offer surgeries at the hospital for more complex procedures.

Since entering a joint venture years ago, Trinity Health Michigan and University of Michigan Health have attracted a lot of new surgical specialties to Chelsea Hospital. Having an opportunity to deliver this type of high-quality care, whether it be in the office or at the hospital, is exciting and we are ecstatic to offer care to residents of Chelsea and the surrounding communities.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Moe, please call 734-615-5488.