Karen,
Yes they received the removed implant parts and once they went through "decontamination" they were inspected. The implant parts were perfect, so bends, no fractures nothing just ten screws & 9 of them were broke into 4 -5 parts..no explanation why..they do not know. They "think" when the left Fossa was put in July 2012 the remaining parts on my left side had to be unscrewed, moved & readjusted from where they had been for over 3 years, so they again "think" the unscrewing & moving the implant to another angle weakened the screws & they worked their way out breaking in the process. It is what it is. We are all guinea pigs for the next generation of TMJers. I called & tried to schedule my 3D CT but the department had closed for the day so first thing Monday I have to call. Have you seen your images? Once they are converted to 3D I have Eric email mine to me so I can look at them. Pretty amazing!!! I will let you know when I am on the books & will stay in touch with you.
Take Care!!!
Shirlett
Hi Shirlett,
It would make sense that possibly your screws were weakened causing them to break and work their way out. I think you are right that we are guinea pigs for the next generation of TMJers. I have no problem with that as long as treatment advances. No, I have not seen my images. I will have to call Eric and have him email them to me. That would be really neat to see. Thanks for the recommending this. Have you asked for any of your prostheses back after Concepts studied them? I did ask Greg for my explanted prostheses back after they finish with their studies. Yes, please let me know when you are on the books for your surgery. I still have hopes mine will be upped from the 14th of August. That date is not confirmed yet.
Best Wishes,
Karen
That is great news that your CT scan will be uploaded to Concepts. I am hopeful just my left condyle will have to be replaced. My left fossa is still in. This will be my 5th joint surgery. I had 3 jaw surgeries (Lefort 3-piece, Lefort 4-piece, and BSSO). I am also praying this will be my last surgery. My former surgeon fears my right prostheses may also be a problem, but I pray he is wrong. I hope you are correct that we are so close to getting all of this perfect with great function and no pain.
We are all in this together and I feel each day brings us closer to that White Light you mentioned with a life of good function and no pain. Yes, we are all survivors of TMJ and need each other to jump each hurdle one by one! Always remember tomorrow is another day!
Karen,
Do you feel your right side?? Any one else with the TMJ Concepts "FEEL" the implants?
Shirlett
Shirlett,
No, I can not even tell my right prostheses is there. I always told my surgeon in TX that my left and right prostheses felt like night and day. The left side always gave me problems and the right side always felt great. I sometimes wondered if maybe the right prostheses was the actual problem creating the left prostheses to overwork resulting in pain. I did have a lot of loud noises in the right prostheses in the beginning, but this eventually went away and the left side pain started and decreased ROM. Did you every have any noises or pain on your good side?
They have offered every part they have taken, broken & not broken and after little thought I declined. So TMJ Concepts has some parts & pieces & Shands has some they use for teaching. All I could think about was what would I do with them? Put them on the fireplace mantle?? . So they have been retained by the maker & the one who put them and removed them! Lol! I put your surgery on my calendar so I can start sending you positive energy a few days before. I will let you know when I am on the "book". Do have Erik send you the 3D scans when they are complete, it is REALLY KOOL to look at and REALLY see what your bones/implants look like in your head. Treatment really has moved forward with leaps & bounds. 12 years ago Dave told me the Concepts would have to be removed every 10 years & replaced & one of my friends has bypassed the "10 year mark" and she continues to do GREAT so her OS & Dave decided to wait & see if they will ever have to be replaced. Positive, moving forward! For me, even with all the breaking, screws falling out, Fossa's snapping in half in my head, ect my right side has not received any damage and is PERFECT! So I know once the left side is in complete & I heal I will be going at 100mph! If the components had not had to be readjusted last July, I REALLY do not believe I would be where I am right this moment. The left Fossa would have settled in as it has & would be very Happy not even thinking about another surgery. But it is what it is & I believe everything happens for a reason & one day I will know that reason. Stay strong & keep moving forward surrounded with the White Light!
Take Care!
Shirlett
When the implants were first put in, yes I did feel pain, discomfort & there was strange noise but it all went away and my guess is my right side settled down. I do not know it is there and I do not experiance any pain, discomfort or noise from the right side. Now...just have to get my left side as GREAT as my right! Lol! The reason I was asking is I ALWAYS could feel the first two sets of implants, but this last set, once I healed I FORGOT they were even there, my pain went away and most days the TMJ seemed to have been a long ago nightmare until the abscessed tooth & the screws falling out/breaking..ugh..so I have hopes of this "perfect fit" again. Still trying to figure out what made all three sets SO different that I did not and could not feel the third set. Maybe Dave will be able to give me an answer one day!
Take Care!
Shirlett
. So they have been retained by the maker & the one who put them and removed them! Lol! I put your surgery on my calendar so I can start sending you positive energy a few days before. I will let you know when I am on the "book". Do have Erik send you the 3D scans when they are complete, it is REALLY KOOL to look at and REALLY see what your bones/implants look like in your head. Treatment really has moved forward with leaps & bounds. 12 years ago Dave told me the Concepts would have to be removed every 10 years & replaced & one of my friends has bypassed the "10 year mark" and she continues to do GREAT so her OS & Dave decided to wait & see if they will ever have to be replaced. Positive, moving forward! For me, even with all the breaking, screws falling out, Fossa's snapping in half in my head, ect my right side has not received any damage and is PERFECT! So I know once the left side is in complete & I heal I will be going at 100mph! If the components had not had to be readjusted last July, I REALLY do not believe I would be where I am right this moment. The left Fossa would have settled in as it has & would be very Happy not even thinking about another surgery. But it is what it is & I believe everything happens for a reason & one day I will know that reason. Stay strong & keep moving forward surrounded with the White Light!
