Re: Was set to have upper orthognathic, now surgeons recommend Arthroplasty??

[Guest guest]

Hi Felicia,

How great that you went for multiple consults! That is the best way

to find a range of opinions so that you can make YOUR decision about

how to proceed. It sounds like you got everyone to come to a

consensus too. Congratulations on that!

Will your insurance cover the Arthroplasty for you? Is that covered

at a better rate for you? I hope so. I hope someone here has some

information for you on this procedure. Will see you around on the

board! And Welcome!!

Hugs,

Fran

>

> Hi, this is my first time to post, but I have a friend who

recommended

> it. I've been researching and getting opinions on my case for 2

years

> now since having gotten a job and insurance after graduating from

> college. I have a severe open bite and both the discs in my jaw

joints

> are displaced. I have daily headaches and severe myofacial and jaw

> pain. The first surgeon and orthodontist I saw recommended

> Arthroplasty- this team has developed a technique whereby the

surgeon

> pins the disc in the joint in order to insure that it stays in

place.

> This would then be followed by an upper orthognathic surgery in a

year

> or so (with the recquisite year of orthodontics/splints, etc).

After

> hearing this option I sought a second, then third and fourth

opinion

> and they all disagreed and recommended that I just have the

> orthognathic surgery and hope that my discs would be ok. Well I

got it

> approved for partial coverage (which is all i can get) from

insurance

> and was moving ahead when my orthodontist here insisted that

> Arthroplasty (the disc replacement surgery) was the best choice to

do

> first because if we didn't and the disc caused problems later,

then it

> would cause the measurements and bite of the orthognathic surgery

to

> be off....so then the orthodontist and the surgeon who was going

to do

> the orthognathic talked and now they want to do the arthroplasty. I

> have thought about it a lot and even though it is going to be

> enormously expensive, I think it is the choice with the best

possible

> outcome. I was just wondering if anybody has any experience or

> situation like mine or if anybody has had Arthroplasty done?

> Thank you,

> Felicia

>