In 2017, Anelia Myburgh was diagnosed with jaw cancer. Although surgery saved her life, it also removed most of her upper jaw and part of her lip.

However, she now has her appearance completely restored, thanks to a 3D-printed jaw restoration and new dentures.

A Worrisome Bump

Ms. Myburgh’s problems began with a small bump above her teeth that was causing some minor but noticeable tooth movement. It didn’t hurt, but she got it checked out. Although she was initially assured it likely wasn’t cancerous, tests showed that it was, in fact, cancer.

Doctors performed surgery to remove the cancer. This also required removing 80% of her jaw, and all her upper teeth but two on each side.

The successful surgery removed all the cancer, but her appearance bothered her greatly. She generally stayed at home and only left the house wearing a surgical mask.

Rebuilding Her Jaw

Ms. Myburgh felt she couldn’t live this way. She decided to try to find a way to reconstruct her appearance. She found that some people were using 3D printing to replace missing or damaged jaw structure, so she sought out the treatment.

Doctors reconstructed her jaw with a frame made out of titanium (similar to dental implants). Then she received an implant denture to replace her teeth.

Now she looks not only healthy, but young, thanks to the support provided by the jaw reconstruction and her dentures.

An Extreme Case Demonstrating the Value of FOY ® Dentures

The one-of-a-kind surgery Ms. Myburgh received is truly remarkable. And it’s obviously a lot more dramatic than anything most people need. However, it does demonstrate some of the principles we’ve been talking about there with respect to FOY ® Dentures.

Without the support of her upper jaw, the skin and lips in the lower third of her face just sag loosely.

Though she’s a relatively young woman, the effect is one of extreme age. But when the jaw reconstruction and teeth restore support to the lower third of her face, she is transformed again. She becomes her youthful self, showing the powerful impact that support from the teeth and jaw can have on your appearance.

Are You Unhappy with the Impact of Lost Teeth?

Although jaw cancer is rare, and few of us have to have our jaws removed so dramatically, the body does remove substantial support from the jaw with age. Combined with the loss of teeth, this can create a hollow in the lower part of the face. When the jaws come together without teeth, the skin and fat of the face have to fold around, causing deep folds and sometimes making it hard for the lips to close properly.

Traditional dentures often fail to bridge the gap left by natural teeth. That’s because they are designed using old-fashioned principles that didn’t necessarily read the proper height for the jaw. Thanks to neuromuscular analysis, though, FOY ® Dentures do fill up the entire natural space left by your teeth. This helps you to achieve not just rejuvenation of your appearance, but also restoration of your natural appearance.

If you want to learn how much FOY ® Dentures can turn back the clock for you, please contact a local FOY ® Dentures dentist today for an appointment.