Severe Chronic Migraine Headaches
Nicky — Natalie’s Mother’s Story
This is a very sad story but has a happy ending, thanks to Dr. Raman, Amy, Melissa, and Jan. I believe my daughter Natalie has had problems with her jaw from the moment she was born.
The first three months of her life, when she wasn’t sleeping or eating, she was crying. Every time she yawned, she burst into tears—it was heartbreaking. When she was about three months old, she found her thumb and held onto it for years. She had chronic ear infections and was sick often, but as long as she had her thumb, she could cope.
Years of Pain and Frustration
By age five, she began having migraine-type headaches. Every week brought another severe episode. She would vomit, miss school, and spend a full day in bed recovering. Most weeks she only had five good days out of seven. She often complained of random aches and pains, got sick easily, and seemed fragile.
We took her to multiple doctors for tests—everything from allergy panels to brain scans. Each doctor had a different theory or medication, but nothing worked. An orthodontist finally diagnosed her with TMD. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Dr. Raman.
A New Challenge: The Locked Jaw
She went through several orthodontic and oral surgery procedures that reduced her headaches for a while. We were relieved—until one day her jaw locked open. She had just yawned, and suddenly she couldn’t close her mouth. The pain was excruciating, and we rushed to the emergency room to have it reset.
This happened two more times over the next two years, which led us to a so-called “TMJ Specialist.” After a year of adjustments and thousands of dollars, her jaw locked open again. It was the day after Thanksgiving, and the ER was packed. She waited more than two hours in agony. The specialist had no real answers—he even suggested it might have happened because of her period.
Finding Hope at the Raman Center
Despite all this, Natalie didn’t give up. She was determined to find real help. After many calls and research, she finally reached Amy at the Raman Center for Advanced Dentistry. Amy’s kind voice said, “Yes, we can help you!”—and for the first time in years, we felt hope.
After so many failed treatments, we were skeptical. Everything sounded familiar, but something felt different. Dr. Raman’s calm explanations, scientific approach, and genuine compassion slowly earned our trust. He patiently answered every question and helped Natalie feel comfortable right away.
Choosing the Right Path
At first, we decided to try the orthodontic route. Dr. Raman thought it was a good option since Natalie was 23, had beautiful natural teeth, and no fillings. Natalie liked her smile and wanted to keep it that way. She wasn’t thrilled about braces again—especially with her upcoming wedding—but thought it was manageable.
After four days, she realized she couldn’t face two more years of braces. We went back, and Dr. Raman was incredibly kind and understanding. He reassured her it was fine, removed the braces, and we began a full mouth restoration instead.
A Life Transformed
Here comes the happy ending—Natalie has never felt better in her entire life. Her smile looks completely natural, and her pain is gone. We are endlessly grateful to Dr. Raman and his amazing staff. They are talented, patient, and sincere—and they made us feel like family.
