RSDM Oral Surgeon Reveals Patient's Beautiful Smile

Devorah Eisemann went through childhood with a lower jaw that jutted so far forward, she was unable to chew. When she closed her mouth, her teeth wouldn’t join together. "It was one of the most severe malocclusions I have ever seen,” said Dr. Shahid Aziz, an oral & maxillofacial surgeon at Rutgers Health University Dental Associates, the faculty practice at RSDM.

After

Before

“There was a huge esthetic problem and a huge problem with function,'' said Aziz. Not only was it difficult for Eisemann, now 19, to chew, she was self-conscious about her appearance, especially if she had to speak in public.

Because her case was so complicated, Devorah’s mother, Ilana Eisemann, initially considered taking Devorah to a specialist in New York. But after the family orthodontist recommended Aziz, she booked an appointment at Rutgers Health University Dental Associates, where faculty treat patients directly in a private practice setting. Doctors are world-class experts in their fields, skilled at the latest treatment techniques, from general dentistry and orthodontics to dental implants and maxillofacial surgery.

Aziz performed a seven-hour orthoganathic surgery that began the process of aligning Devorah’s jaw. He is recognized as an expert in this type of procedure and has performed more than any other doctor in New Jersey.  Before the surgery, Devorah was fitted for braces and later had her jaw wired shut for several weeks as part of the process of correcting the misalignment.

A year later, when her braces were removed, Devorah and her family were overjoyed with the results. “Once her jaw was back in place, it was the first time her teeth came together. It was an incredible experience for her,’’ her mother remembers.

“It was really amazing,’’ says Devorah, who is studying to become a teacher. “People who knew me well were shocked. They thought I looked like different person.’’

In photos taken after the surgery, a beaming Devorah reveals a dimple once overshadowed by problems with her jaw.

Says Aziz, “She has a beautiful smile now.’’

The Eisemann’s are grateful to Aziz, not only for his skill as a surgeon, but for his patience and compassion. “The care was phenomenal,’’ says Mrs. Eisemann. “He was very receptive and I felt like we could call him at any time. He calmed me down when I got nervous about things. He was very reassuring.''