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

[Guest guest]

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