Joint Replacement Surgery? Anyone with info pls help!! - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

schmoosie · 03-24-2006, 08:12 PM

When I was 14, I had re-corrective jaw surgery to correct my open and over bite. By the time I was 18, my bite was moving back to its original ways. Ever since the surgery, I sufford from TMJ pain, popping, cracking, and not being able to bite a piece of pizza or eat a sandwich without making a mess. I have learned to live with the pain, but now it's become much more than that!

I am now 26, and just as I was getting ready to have the re-corrective jaw surgery for a second time in January '06, my oral surgeon noticed a major problem in the joints of my jaw. He sent me to a TMJ specialist in Philly, at the University of Pennsylvania on March 21st.

This specialist has indicated that the balls of my joints are 30% deteriorated, and that is the cause of the re-lapse in my original jaw surgery. (Gotta love TMJD!!) However, if I want to fix my again over/open bite, I need to fix the root problem- my joints.

He said the only option to completely correct the issue, would be to replace my joints with plastic ones. OMG!!

I am only 26! Joint replacement?!?
And... he said the longest joint replacement know to last has been 12 years! So what, when I'm 38-40, I'll have to have the surgery again?!

I am extremely scared about going through with this, and definitely want a third, even fourth opinion on such a major decision.

Can anyone please, please help me with any info they can provide. I need names of other TMJ specialists, anywhere in the country-- I will fly for those much needed third and fourth opinions!

I would also love to hear about anyone who has actually gone through this process, and how it has worked for them.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and for any info you are able to provide!

navymid · 03-25-2006, 06:54 AM

i dont really know any information about the joint replacement, but I am going to see a specialist at UPenn this Tuesday! Did you see Dr. Quinn?

schmoosie · 03-25-2006, 07:01 AM

Yes. Dr. Quinn is who I went to see. He was very nice, and thorough, and although it was a very short consult visit, he explained my situation a lot better than my oral surgeon.

Good luck with your appointment on Tues! Keep me posted how it goes. Hopefully your not in the same boat as me!!!

navymid · 03-25-2006, 12:46 PM

I'm glad to hear that he was very informative. I was referred to him by a couple people and I am anxious to hear what he has to say. So far I have seen around 25 doctors about my jaw(but mainly a group of 4 working together). The two main different opinions I have got are that one doctor said both sides would need open joint disctomy and the other says only the left injured side and possibly a condylotomy. It would be nice to see what doctor Quinn thinks shouls be done. The main thing is that everyone I have seen says that I need open joint(after I hava already had two unseccessful arhtrocentesis and one unsecessful arthroscopy). I would just like to know what kind of surgery is best and what exactly is going on with the joint(s). I feel like some questions are still unanswered.
I am anxious to see Dr. Quinn though and will let you know how it goes. Good luck with the joint replacement situation!

navymid · 03-28-2006, 07:42 PM

I saw Dr. Quinn today and basically felt the same way as you. I thought he was very nice, but the visit was very short. He confirmed what my OS said basically and that I need open joint on the left and possibly right. So, I will call and set that up tomorrow.... I've had 3 opinions... all basically the same, so it looks like my only option is open joint.