Sisters Show New Smiles After Surgery For Rare Condition
MIAMI (CBSMiami) --Sisters showed off their new smiles Wednesday after they were operated for a rare dental condition which causes overgrowth of gums.
The two sisters smiled for the first time after the surgery.
Muriel Rayo, 12, and Nicole Rayo, 10, along with the team of dentists and surgeons who treated them showed off the girls' new smiles at a Miami Children's Hospital center in Doral.
The two underwent surgery for a rare oral condition called gingival fibromatosis which caused their gums to overgrow and cover most of their teeth. Surgeons removed the excess gums and their baby teeth to show their permanent teeth underneath.
The sisters were born with this condition.
Fighting back tears, Rayo said, "When I was small I didn't know I had this problem."
Muriel's personality helped her pull through.
She said with a huge smile, giggling and laughing, "They can pull our teeth out and we can smile more. That makes me feel happy. It's going to be different to eat and brush teeth. I was like 'oh my God' and in my mind I was like thank you, thank you."
Dr. Thaddeus Boucree, the Oral Surgeon with Miami Children's Hospital said, "They had never seen baby teeth or permanent teeth."
He performed the procedure, cutting away the extremely thick, hearty and dense tissue. He said it was so tough, they use about 15 blades to cut through because they kept dulling.
He and his team at the hospital, in collaboration with Nova Southeastern University, performed this surgery for the first time.
Maria Hernandez with Nova Southeastern said, "Many people have asked if I've ever seen a case like this before and my answer is no."
Dr. Rosie Roldan with the hospital said "It could be inherited, isolated or syndrome."
For the sisters, its isolated and that's a good thing.
After a year of planning, the procedure was a success. The doctors said as the girls continue to grow the gums will grow back over their teeth and they will continue to trim away the excess growth.
When CBS4's Cynthia Demos asked their dad what he thought when he saw the girls smile for the first time after the procedure. He said in Spanish he's very happy, delighted and overwhelmed. So too was their mother, in Nicaragua, who saw picture of her children who live in Miami full-time with their father.
The family and team of doctors are emotional. They are excited for the girls who pulled through this one in a million condition and are looking forward to developing their million dollar smiles.
Muriel said her little sister loves the outdoors and Muriel wants to be a singer or a doctor when she grows up. The girls get braces in four weeks that will stay on for two to four years.
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