HELPING PATIENTS IN THEIR TIME OF NEED

Moris Aynechi, DMD, MD, a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, began studying for a career in dentistry and soon discovered that he wanted to diversify. “Once you’re in dental school you are exposed to many different specialties,” says Dr. Aynechi. “I shadowed many types of specialists during my time in dental school and was immediately drawn to oral & maxillofacial surgery.” Pursuing this duel specialty meant that Dr. Aynechi was in for a challenging and competitive journey, one that he has mastered. In fact, he has taken the specialty by storm with the creation of BHOMFS, serving the residents of southern California.

Dr. Aynechi has experience treating a variety of cases, ranging from very mild to severe. His extensive training has given him the knowledge and expertise to treat many different types of injuries and health conditions. Dr. Aynechi works one on one with each of his patients to create an individualized treatment plan that addresses their medical challenges in a personal way.

Receiving his Dental Medical Doctor (DMD) degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Aynechi then completed a year-long oral and maxillofacial surgery internship at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. Dr. Aynechi also received his medical degree (MD) from Drexel University

College of Medicine while completing his two year general surgery certificate and oral & maxillofacial surgery residency at the Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Returning to California, he worked at several medical facilities including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and St. John’s Health Center.

Dental and facial issues — both structural and cosmetic — resulting from trauma are among Dr. Aynechi’s specialties. These injuries are often accompanied by a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can complicate treatment. “Many patients with a TBI experience Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders,” says Dr. Aynechi. “They will have muscle spasms and post-traumatic clenching and grinding.” TMJ disorders are conditions affecting the jaw joints and surrounding muscles and ligaments.

Dr. Aynechi explains that the body translates the stress from traumatic episodes into the muscles surrounding the temporomandibular joints (the joints connecting the jaw bone to the skull), causing clenching and grinding which releases some of the tension on the brain resulting from the trauma. This causes issues in the jaws, especially if a patient has a preexisting TMJ disorder.

If left untreated, trauma-related TMJ disorders can create more serious issues. Consistent pressure on the temporomandibular joints can eventually cause displacement of the jaw resulting in pain, swelling and limited mobility. In these cases, the teeth will also suffer. “Eventually you will see micro and macro fractures [in the teeth] which can lead to tooth loss,” says Dr. Aynechi. As teeth are lost, the surface area absorbing the pressure [from the TMJ disorder] decreases leaving the remaining teeth to take on more and more pressure until eventually all of the teeth become compromised.

Dr. Aynechi has the expertise to treat not only the underlying TMJ disorder but any resulting problems. “In some cases, we use injections to stop the muscle spasms, restore function, and decrease pain,” he says. “We always exhaust minimally invasive treatments before resorting to surgical interventions.” One of these minimally invasive approaches involves creating an orthotic appliance that is designed to protect the teeth and the TMJs from these delitareous forces. Also called a bite splint, it’s an acrylic device that helps relax and balance the jaw joints and muscles. Addition of botulinum (Botox) injections does significantly reduce the spasms attributed by the TBI injuries as well.

Dr. Aynechi also helps individuals with facial deformities resulting from trauma. “Patients who have suffered facial injuries in conjunction with a TBI often delay addressing the fractures due to more immediate, life-threatening concerns,” says Dr. Aynechi. “If fractured facial bones are allowed to heal before they can be returned to their natural position, correcting the resulting deformity and misalignment becomes very difficult.” In cases like this BHOMFS can create custom made titanium facial implants which augment deficient parts of the facial structure.

BHOMFS offers full scope oral & maxillofacial surgery services including bone grafting, soft tissue grafing, cosmetic surgery, dental implants and Botox® for TMJ to help their patients. “I love what I do,” says Dr. Aynechi. “Helping people in their time of need is very rewarding.”

For more information about BHOMFS visit them online at www.bhomfs.com or call 310-275-2200.