Before
After
Before
After
When we first met Amanda, she had been suffering from pain in her jaw joints, and neck, and she had difficulty breathing well due to a deviated septum. About 10 years prior, Amanda had been treated for her condition by way of a custom made oral appliance that she wore while sleeping. These oral appliances work by repositioning the lower jaw into proper alignment, which helps relieve tension in the jaw joints, and allows for an open airway for better breathing. However, this method of treatment was no longer effective for her, and she was facing the possibility of a double jaw joint replacement surgery.
After consulting the nearest and best oral and maxillofacial surgeon for the job, Dr. Larry M. Wolford in Texas, he referred Amanda to our office here in Scotts Valley. After thorough testing and diagnostics, I confirmed that Amanda’s best course of action to correct her temporomandibular joint issue was to move forward with the recommended surgery.
Amanda underwent a double jaw joint replacement to reposition her lower jaw forward 13 millimeters. Her upper jaw was manipulated in such a way to result in optimal alignment with her lower jaw. She also underwent surgery on her nose to relieve a deviated septum so she could breathe better.
Now, we are happy to report that four months post surgery, Amanda no longer suffers from jaw or neck pain, and can breathe with ease. She can eat and chew better, too! Amanda also underwent Orthodontics and is happy to have found relief from a combination of treatments.
We asked Amanda what her thoughts were regarding her journey, and although it was “worth it,” and “quite an experience,” she hopes that she can help save her daughters from having to deal with such a painful and debilitating issue that she dealt with for so long.
Amanda has two young daughters that are on the same unfortunate path of deteriorating and receding jaw joints. Both of her girls are mouth breathers at night, which means their lower jaw falls into a recessed position for hours at a time. Fortunately, through the use of Orthotropics, we are able to properly guide their facial growth throughout development to help reduce their chance of dealing with the same scenario as their mother. We already see huge advancements in their progress so far.
Orthotropics yields tremendous results for children throughout their years of development. During this time, their bones are growing, and if we can identify an area that is problematic, we can correct it during development, eliminating the need for extensive surgeries and therapies later in life.
We hope that adults, especially parents, will consider Amanda’s story as a learning experience in which they could potentially apply in their own lives, or the lives of their children. So much of our oral health and overall health depends on every aspect of our bodies working in sync; our mouths are no different!
Just like in Amanda’s case, so many others are suffering life long repercussions of a deteriorating jaw, or temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ disorder). There are treatments and ways we can help prevent your child from going down the same painful path that you may be experiencing.
If you would like to learn more about how we diagnose and treat TMJ disorder, or how Orthotropics may help your child, we urge you to contact our office by calling (831) 824-5111 to schedule a consultation.
Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry provides total oral health care for patients located in the California communities of Los Gatos, Santa Cruz, and Scotts Valley.