Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery Offers Specialized Care In Wesley Chapel

At Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery, Brian Hamilton, D.D.S., sees patients who need specialized care in the area of oral (mouth) and maxillofacial (face and jaws) dentistry.

Dr. Hamilton describes oral and maxillofacial dentistry as a specialty that combines dentistry and medicine, explaining that this includes dentistry for complex cases and those who have health issues, along with wisdom teeth extractions, dental implants, and many other procedures.

The Wesley Chapel office of Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery is located just off S.R. 54 in the Brookside Professional Park, just east of Saddlebrook resort.

Dr. Hamilton, who is originally from Jamaica, earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from Binghamton University in Binghamton, NY, in 1999. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree from the Howard University College of Dentistry in Washington, DC, in May 2003. After a general practice residency at the Miami Veteran’s Hospital in Miami, FL, he went on to complete his residency in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery from Columbia University at Harlem Hospital Center in New York, NY, in 2010.

He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons and a Fellow of the American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons.

The Wesley Chapel office of Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery is one of five locations, including Carrollwood, Dunedin, Bradenton, Sun City, plus another location is getting set to open in South Tampa soon. The practice is owned by Michael Barbick, D.M.D. (Doctor of Dental Medicine), M.D., who works primarily at the Carrollwood office.

The Wesley Chapel office of Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery has been open for about three years, originally opening on June 1, 2015. Dr. Hamilton has been with the practice for about a year. Prior to his current position, Dr. Hamilton was with a group in Daytona Beach.

Excellent Patient Care

“Patients are our number one priority,” explains Amanda Fraley, the practice’s office manager. “We are very appreciative of them choosing to come to us, and we want them to know how much we appreciate them.”

Dr. Hamilton says Amanda and the staff are one reason a patient should choose his practice. “The staff here is quite wonderful,” he says. “They are friendly and warm, and you are always greeted by a smiling face at the front desk.”

Although many patients are referred to Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery by other dentists, patients also can contact the office directly.
One reason you might want to see Dr. Hamilton is if you suspect a tooth needs to be removed. He will complete an evaluation and recommend a treatment plan. If it turns out a patient needs a general dentist instead, like if a tooth needs a root canal, Dr. Hamilton and his staff can help that patient find a dentist.

Many patients also come to Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery because they are missing teeth and have heard about dental implants, maybe through ads such as the one on page 37 of this issue, which offers a free consultation for patients considering dental implants to replace missing and broken teeth. The free consultation includes panoramic X-rays.

Dr. Hamilton also does oral pathology — removing cancerous and benign lesions — and treatment for disorders of the temporomandibular joint, which is the joint connecting the jaw to the skull, commonly known as TMJ.

Dr. Hamilton performs surgical corrections to the TMJ, but he says that surgery is always the last resort.

“The first option is always to treat conservatively,” he explains, with options such as an occlusal splint (or mouth guard), anti-inflammatory medication or muscle relaxers. “Then, we advance the treatment, if (it is still) needed.”

Amanda says the office is “completely electronic with state-of-the-art equipment. We only use digital X-rays and have a cone beam CT scanner.”

She says that the three-dimensional images from the CT scan give more detail than X-rays. “It is beneficial in more complex surgical cases or to rule out unnecessary surgical interventions,” she explains. “It also can aid as a surgical guide for dental implant cases, to ensure that the implants are properly angled.”

Amanda and the staff work with your Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) dental insurance to help you understand your coverage and what your treatment will cost.

“We always schedule a consultation and go over everything to make sure all your questions are answered,” she says, “and everything is clear.”

Always Available When You Need Them

Amanda and Dr. Hamilton agree that another advantage of coming to Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery for your wisdom teeth extractions and other needs is because of the office’s availability. They often schedule patients for next-day appointments.

“And, if there’s a patient in pain,” Dr. Hamilton says, “we’ll do what we can to see them the same day.”

Garland Davis recommends Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery for procedures like the one wisdom tooth he had extracted.

“It was a good experience,” he says. “I called them and they got me in the very next day. They handled everything for my insurance and I was in and out in probably an hour and a half, tops. The whole staff was really great.”

Dr. Hamilton says a high priority for him is ensuring that every patient is comfortable, so intravenous (IV) sedation is offered.
Alternatively, for those who don’t want complete sedation, other options are available, including nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, for his patients.

“So, whether they’re asleep or awake, they end up having a comfortable experience,” he explains.

“Some people have a fear of their dental experience, but IV sedation is a big part of what we do,” says Dr. Hamilton, who adds that he is ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)-certified to be able to offer the IV sedation.

While most procedures are done in the office if the patient is healthy, for more complex procedures or for patients who are in some way medically compromised, procedures also can be performed in a surgery center or hospital. Dr. Hamilton has admitting privileges at both Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, where he also is an on-call surgeon for cases of facial trauma.

The Wesley Chapel office of Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery is located at 29164 Chapel Park Dr. It is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information about the practice, call (813) 991-6886, or visit TBJAFS.com.