Re: Need help with lower jaw problems

[Guest guest]

I'm a 28 year old adult with RSS. I have always had a problem with overcrowding

because my mouth is so small. My jaws didn't grow much at all and I can't open

my mouth much at all. I have to break up all my food because i can't open wide

enough to eat. I don't remember having any delay in loosing my baby teeth or

getting my adult ones. I had to have 5 molars pulled when i was in jr. high

school and i wore braces for 4 1/2 years. I was told that my wisdom teeth would

never come in. Well I now have all 4 of them and all that money spent is down

the drain. My teeth are a mess. With no room for my wisdom teeth to go all my

teeth shifted. Within the last couple of years i have had alot of pain in my

jaws. I found an article on Magics website from Dr. Simmions. He is a

cranial-facial specilist at Children's hospital here in my hometown. He agreed

to see me even though I was over 18. He told me I really needed to come in

while I was still growing. There wasn't much they could do now for my small jaw

opening, but he is going to do all he can to help me. I am going to have 4 more

teeth pulled and braces back on my teeth. I'm also going to have to have

surgery to extend my lower jaw. I just wish I had known all of this years ago

when more could be done. Now I'm well over 18 so my insurance will not cover

any of it. I know you all know how it is fighting with the insurance companies

trying to convince them its something I need done, not just want done. I'm not

sure yet how i'm going to pay, but it has to be done. Dr. is actually

going to be at the convention this summer and he making sure I have the funds to

go. I am going to be helping him examine the kids. I also think he wants to

use me as an example. My advice to everyone is ask as many questions and see as

many doctors before your child gets to old. I wish so much I would have gone to

a dentist that knew more about my problems instead of treating me like his

" normal " patients. I hate to think of all the money my folks spent out for

nothing.

Teri (28 year old from Arkansas)

[Guest guest]

,

Sorry, I know I'm a little behind on the emails, but I did want to

let you know that I have had extensive lower jaw surgery to correct

an overbite. I have also had extensive orthodontic and dental work

done. When I was sixteen (and the oral surgeon was sure that I had

stopped growing), I had my jaw lengthened. They cut either side of

the mandible of the lower jaw and inserted screw like extenders.

Eventually, new bone grew around the hardware and my jaw was

lengthened. It was a really painful surgery, but has absolutely been

worth it, because I no longer experience jaw pain when I eat or

talk. I don't know what they'll do for Zoe, but they wouldn't do

anything to me surgically until I'd quit growing. They solved the

problem as best they could with orthodontics until that time.

~Hillary

21, RSS