Dr. Julian Wilson: Indications, Technique, and Results of Disc Plication Surgery

Many oral maxillofacial surgeons don't treat TMJ issues due to the lack of success following surgical intervention. Today's guest is turning this approach on its head, with a novel surgical technique he learned from the premier oral surgery hospital in China! Dr. Julian Wilson traveled to Shanghai as part of his fellowship, where he learned how to perform a new technique for disc plications. Tune in to hear how this has impacted his scope of practice and the way he thinks about TMJ surgery. We hear a step-by-step breakdown of how this surgery is performed, as well as who the ideal candidate is, and the outcomes that Julian has seen in his practice. We also get to know Julian on a more personal level through Grant's rapid-fire questions. Tune in for all this and more, today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to Dr. Julian Wilson, oral maxillofacial surgeon and specialist in disc plications.
• Julian’s journey into oral surgery: from dentistry to fellowship. 
• How a two-week trip to a hospital in China set Julian up to specialize in temporomandibular surgery using a unique technique. 
• How Julian approaches patients: differentiating myofascial pain from mechanical issues, and why conservative treatment is usually best initially. 
• The shift in thinking from the treatments offered in the ‘80s and ‘90s, to disc plication from the early 2000s. 
• How a disc plication surgery works: a step-by-step walkthrough. 
• Why the technique that Julian uses is not a true disc plication but is closer to a discectomy. 
• The benefits of disc plication on young patients: cartilage regeneration and addressing an issue not commonly treated.
• What causes TMJ issues, and when to do a disc plication.
• The alternative surgeries to Julian’s disc plication, and their benefits and disadvantages. 
• The checklist that Julian goes through to decide if he will recommend a disc plication.
• How Julian prepares his patients’ expectations about the outcomes of surgery. 
• Which components of the surgery contribute to pain reduction. 
• Why Julian doesn’t operate when patients are using pain medication chronically.
• Where to contact Julian to ask about this technique. 
• What Grant was taught about plication surgery, and why he was told: "It wouldn't work".
• The three books Julian recommends: Never Split the Difference, Fooled by Randomness, and Naked Statistics. 
• The mantra that Julian uses to embrace complications and challenges. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Julian Wilson Email — julian.j.wilson@KP.org

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It

Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets

Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data

Dr. Grant Stucki Email — grantstucki@gmail.com

Dr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059