Paramus, NJ, September 22, 2026 – New Jersey patients who have been told they may need spinal fusion now have another option to explore close to home.
Dr. Joseph Pyun, a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon with Modern Orthopaedics of New Jersey, is bringing his experience with motion-preserving spine surgery to patients throughout Northern New Jersey. Among the advanced procedures he offers are cervical and lumbar total disc replacement, designed to treat certain painful or degenerative spinal conditions while preserving motion at the treated level.
Total disc replacement can provide an alternative to spinal fusion for appropriately selected patients. Rather than permanently eliminating movement between two vertebrae, the procedure removes the damaged disc and replaces it with an artificial disc designed to maintain motion.
“For the right patient, we don’t necessarily have to choose between treating the painful disc and preserving movement,” said Dr. Pyun. “Total disc replacement gives us another option. The most important thing is evaluating each patient’s anatomy, symptoms and goals and determining which treatment makes the most sense for them.”
An Alternative to Fusion That Preserves Motion
During a traditional spinal fusion, the affected vertebral segment is stabilized so that motion no longer occurs at that level. Total disc replacement takes a different approach. The diseased or damaged disc is removed and replaced with an artificial disc engineered to restore disc height and allow motion at the treated segment.
For appropriately selected patients, potential benefits of total disc replacement may include:
- Preservation of motion at the treated spinal level
- Avoidance of a fusion at the treated level
- Restoration of disc height and segmental function
- Reduced stress on adjacent spinal segments compared with eliminating motion through fusion
- The potential for a quicker return to normal activities for certain patients
Dr. Pyun is trained in total disc replacement procedures in both the cervical and lumbar spine, allowing him to evaluate patients for motion-preserving solutions across a broader range of spinal conditions.
That experience is particularly important because determining whether a patient is a candidate for disc replacement involves more than simply identifying a damaged disc. Age, anatomy, spinal alignment, facet joint health, bone quality, instability, previous treatment and the location of the patient’s symptoms can all influence the appropriate surgical strategy.
Matching the Disc to the Patient
For total disc replacement procedures, Dr. Pyun utilizes the prodisc® family of technologies from Centinel Spine, a medical technology company focused on advancing spine care through motion-preserving solutions.
The prodisc® portfolio provides surgeons with multiple cervical and lumbar disc replacement options, including a range of implant sizes and configurations designed to accommodate differences in patient anatomy.
The concept is straightforward: Match the Disc to the Patient.
Recognizing that patient anatomy and clinical needs may vary, the prodisc® portfolio provides surgeons with options to support individualized implant selections. The prodisc® technology is based on a ball-and-socket design with a fixed center of rotation and is designed to maintain motion at the treated spinal segment.
Centinel Spine’s prodisc® technology also has an extensive history in total disc replacement, supported by clinical experience and published evidence involving cervical and lumbar disc replacement.
“Having different implant options is valuable because every patient’s anatomy is different,” said Dr. Pyun. “The ability to choose an implant that fits the patient and the specific level being treated is an important part of planning a successful disc replacement procedure.”
Bringing Advanced Spine Care to New Jersey Patients
Dr. Pyun’s experience in motion preservation strengthens Modern Orthopaedics of New Jersey’s ability to offer patients contemporary surgical options when conservative treatments such as physical therapy, medications, activity modification or injections have not provided adequate relief.
Just as importantly, a consultation for total disc replacement does not mean a patient will necessarily need surgery.
Dr. Pyun works with patients to understand the cause of their symptoms, review imaging and previous treatments, and determine whether continued nonsurgical treatment, total disc replacement, fusion or another approach is most appropriate.
Those suffering from persistent neck or lower back pain—or those who have already been told they may need spinal fusion—can meet with Dr. Pyun for an evaluation or second opinion to determine whether continued conservative treatment, total disc replacement, fusion or another surgical option is appropriate.
“Patients deserve to understand all of the appropriate options available to them,” said Dr. Pyun. “If someone is facing spine surgery, particularly a fusion, it is worth asking whether motion preservation is an option for their condition. My job is to help patients understand those choices and make the decision that makes the most sense for them.”
About Modern Orthopaedics of New Jersey & Dr. Joseph Pyun
Dr. Joseph Pyun is an orthopedic spine surgeon with advanced fellowship training in spine surgery and a focus on minimally invasive techniques. His work centers on helping patients understand what is causing their back, neck, or nerve pain — and whether conservative care, further evaluation, or surgery is the right next step.
Raised by immigrant parents who taught him the value of hard work and discipline, Dr. Pyun brings a careful, prepared, and detail-oriented approach to spine care. He takes pride in reviewing the full picture — symptoms, imaging, goals, and prior treatments — so patients can feel more comfortable with the plan ahead.
Modern Orthopaedics of New Jersey is a group of leading board-certified experts in the field of orthopedic surgery and believe that a meaningful doctor-patient relationship is the key to providing excellent care. This means taking time to listen, explain treatment plans clearly, and develop customized programs to make patients active partners in their own care. Our surgeons are each highly specialized and fellowship-trained in the different areas of the body including hand & wrist, shoulder & elbow, sports medicine, hip and knee, and orthopedic trauma.
About Centinel Spine, LLC
Centinel Spine®, LLC is the leading global medical device company exclusively focused on addressing cervical and lumbar spinal disease with prodisc®, the most complete total disc replacement (TDR) technology platform in the world.
The Company’s prodisc® technology is the most studied and clinically-proven TDR system across the globe, validated by over 540 published papers and more than 300,000 implantations. Centinel Spine’s prodisc® is the only TDR technology with multiple motion-preserving anatomic solutions, allowing the surgeon to Match-the-Disc™ to each patient’s anatomy for both cervical and lumbar total disc replacement.
For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.CentinelSpine.com
