Many people know me through my healing work, singing, swing and contra dancing, Dances of Universal Peace, and as a longtime member of the local food co-op. I come to you today to ask for your help and prayers regarding a serious situation which is affecting my health and quality of life. Although the problem has existed for a long time; I have only recently received the diagnosis that there are cavitations in the bones of my upper and lower jaws.

A cavitation, or ‘osteonecrosis’ is a closed over hole in the bone, often at a place of a previous extraction or past root canal. The bone has only superficially healed over and not filled in completely, leaving a hole or cavitation at the site. Inside this hole may be dead (necrotic) bone tissue, bacterias, infection and molds. These bacteria and infections can travel throughout the body and may cause many problems such as chronic sinusitis, repeated throat infections, MS, nerve pain, brain fog, gut dysfunctions, tooth looseness and loss, and extreme tiredness.

The bacteria may even travel to the heart, which may result in a shorter life span. “These dental cavitations are a serious problem that are difficult to detect.” (Gerry Curatola – Biologic dentist and oral surgeon).

This infection is often a low grade or silent systemic infection, which does not trigger an ‘all out’ immune system response. Often there is little to no pain, swelling, redness, heat or other symptoms at the infection site. Yet, in the silence, bone may be being destroyed because it is lacking oxygen and blood supply (ischemic bone disease).

This longterm “stealth infection” (Gerry Curatola) has caused several of my teeth to become loose and even to fall out. As a result of the missing and loose teeth, I have great difficulty biting, chewing and even digesting food properly, which has caused a poor nutritional uptake.

To start the process of healing these cavitations, the biological dentist will open the site, and scrape out the infections. Then a laser will be used to remove any diseased bone. Ozone will be used to flush out and kill off any remaining pockets of disease.

The hole is then filled with PRF (platelet rich fibrin) or clots made from my own blood, as well as cleaned and sterilized cadaver bone. This provides a scaffold, or framework, for my bone cells to rebuild the jaws. This is necessary because, at the present, there is not enough internal bony structure left in which to place any implants to restore my teeth and smile.

After my own bone cells have rebuilt my jaws, in perhaps six months to a year, then ceramic implants can be placed, which in turn may need a year or two to be integrated into my body.

This GoFundMe site has been set up to help defray the staggering costs of the surgeries and later the restoration of my teeth, smile and health.