Re: Back again for another round

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Smooches. I just read about your daughter being diagnosed

with TMJ, too. I know how you feel. Last year when the pediatric

dentist told us our daughter had a serious overbite too (8 mm at age

2) and would more than likely need surgery in the future (when she

stops growing, not anytime soon), I was devastated and felt very

guilty. I hope she doesn't develop the TMJ problems that I had. A

big consolation was that treatments have advanced so much since I

was a child. She probably won't have the complications I did. I hope

your daughter gets some relief from her TMJ problems as well.

> ,

>

> I really hate that you've had to go through and still are going

through so much. It makes my " problems " seem so small. I'm keeping

you in my prayers that when these last procedures are done...they

will, indeed, be your last procedures and you will be very happy

with the results...forever.

>

> Smooches

>

> Back again for another

round

>

>

> Hi all!

> I haven't been here in awhile, been too busy working a lot of

hours

> to make up for the two months I'll be off post-op. I hope all of

you

> post-oppers are doing well and wish lots of luck and smooth

> recoveries to those of you with upcoming surgeries.

>

> I'll be going through surgery #4 on January 14. To make a long

story

> short, I've had TMJ problems almost all my life because of a

small

> mandible. I had surgery to correct a severe overbite and open

bite.

> The surgery was done in two stages to minimize stress on my

already

> arthritic TMJ's. First the lower jaw was advanced 17 mm using

> distraction and then my upper jaw was moved 5 mm. My bite was

then

> perfect but unfortunately instead of making the TMJ better, it

got

> much worse. The joints deteriorated rapidly and six months

later, my

> lower jaw was deviated 7 mm to the left and the overbite was

coming

> back. I then had a temporalis muscle graft placed in the left

joint

> and arthroscopic surgery on the right. For a few months,

everything

> went well and then the problems started again. I still have a

very

> limited opening (about 15 mm) and a lot of pain. I've been on a

> liquid/ mushy diet since my first surgery in Sept 2002.

>

> My lower jaw has noticeably regressed again and once again, I

have

> an open and overbite. The left condyle is pretty much gone and

the

> right condyle has avascular necrosis and the joint is ankylosed

> (fused). This time, the surgeon is going to remove what is left

of

> the condyles and coronoids and put a muscle graft into the right

> joint to replace the missing cartilage. We are going to regrow

the

> condyles using distraction osteogenesis again. He is going to

place

> distractors in the healthy bone in the back of the mandible and

make

> a cut through the bone. Twice daily for 10-15 days my husband

will

> have to turn the screws to lengthen the bone. The screws will

come

> out through my cheeks near my earlobes. Rebuilding the condyles

will

> advance my lower jaw again and close the bite. After everything

has

> healed, I'll have another minor procedure to remove the

distractors

> and have plates put in to reinforce everything.

>

> The only other option was to use prosthetic joints but they

> typically don't last as long. Hopefully since we are using my

own

> healthy native bone, the new condyles should last a lifetime.

>

> I hope I haven't scared anyone. My case was very unusual and

most

> people do have relief from the TMJ symptoms from the

orthognathic

> surgery. good luck to everyone going through surgery soon.

>

> Any January 14 surgery buddies?

>

>

>

>

> -------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, that was me. I had TMJ arthroplasty and arthroscopy then (May

2003). How are you doing? Are you happy with your new bite? I hope

you're doing well.

> Hi ,

>

> I hope your tmj problems get resolved once and for all. Sounds

like

> you're maintaining a very positive attitude about this whole

> experience and that's great. Of course, we'll back you up if or

when

> you need some support.

>

> Didn't you have one surgery back in May of 2002? If yes you were

my

> surgery buddy back then.

>

> take care,

> on