Diagnosed with Ameloblastoma

Hi there,

I'm almost 2 years out and the numbness is still there, they say sometimes some people get some of the feeling back but I haven't. I didn't have a nerve graft so I'm not anticipating regaining any sensation. The swelling took me several months to go away, maybe 8-9 months in total to go away.

My surgery was July 2022 and still have swelling and numbness in the face. Anybody else have these issues

The growth started after my temporary prosthetic was installed in October, and I began to notice it (with my tongue) in December before it was removed in January. My surgeon said, after removing new growth in March, that the hyperplastic tissue was less in March when compared to January. But he did indicate he'll probably have to remove it again May, and hopefully even less growth then. I did confirm with my local (DFW) dentist that she would be able to remove it to avoid another plane trip to Rochester. I hope the growth stops at some point. At its peak, the hyperplastic tissue does effect my speech (mush mouth).

I hope you get some improvement on speech and chewing.

I’m a touch behind you, my defect was Bit large so it’s been a journey trying to find a design that aids speech and chew. I think we are close though. I don’t have the hyperplasia tissue growth, do they anticipate that being a regular process for you or will it settle as time passes?

My ameloblastoma tumor was successfully removed in July 2021 with a fibular free flap to harvest the bone for the resection in my upper right jaw. But I have been dealing with hyperplastic tissue growth after the temporary prosthetic was installed in October 2021, with removal procedures in January and March this year. I hope to have my permanent prosthetic installed in May, and will likely have to any hyperplastic tissue growth removed again.

Yes agree, they do reassure me I would notice something and right now i'm on the every 6 months imaging, so that helps.

@caw Don’t worry. Most of the time, recurrence would be less possible. However, we definitely need to follow it up every year or every two years.

It’s amazing to me that I had no idea it was there, no pain, and it had gone all the way through my mandible. So now I’m a tad paranoid if will come back and I won’t know it.

Yes speech therapy has been very helpful, my surgeon reminds me though that until I’m in a final prosthesis it won’t be quite as effective.

Thank you @colleenyoung. No, I didn’t do anything after my surgeries. I know that was not right to leave it just like that (without implant for example), but so far I’m fine. Maybe in the futureI will go for a modification.
As I mentioned before, I had no problem at all. The cyst just revealed during normal dental care with OPG.
So, I did not have any speech problem either.