Surgery For Rare Facial Deformity

Ellie was born with a rare condition which stopped her jawbones from growing properly. At first, her parents didn't realize there was a problem, apart from the fact that her teeth were not aligned. But when she went to have braces fitted to straighten her teeth when she was 14, orthodontist Joy Hickman realized her jaw had not grown since she was eight. Over the next six years Hickman worked with a maxillofacial surgeon to transform Ellie's looks. Ellie, who is now 20, said the surgery was painful but paid almost immediate dividends. "About six months after it was my year 11 prom and it looked good." Ellie told the Daily Post the change in her appearance has been matched by an increase in confidence.