Incredible transformation after woman’s life-changing jaw surgery

Ellie Jones, from Rhyl, before and after her ground-breaking surgery (Picture: Daily Post Wales)

Doctors were able to give Ellie Jones her confidence back after they corrected a facial deformity that meant her jaw had stopped growing at age eight.

She was born with a condition that meant the bones in her lower face did not develop properly and were smaller than they should have been.

But although she knew she needed dental work, Ellie had no idea that it was a congenital facial condition that had caused her teeth alignment problems.

When she went to have braces fitted aged 14, her orthodontist Joy Hickman realised what had happened.

Over the next six years, Joy worked with maxillofacial surgeon Emma Woolley at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Rhyl, Wales, to transform
Ellie’s looks and her whole life’s outlook.

Ellie’s jaw stopped growing when she was eight (Picture: Daily Post Wales)

She had her first operation at 16. Ellie, who is now 20, said: ‘It was really painful but had to be done to sort the problem.

‘I was on a liquid diet for about a month, which was really hard, and I couldn’t talk properly – I had to use a notepad to communicate.
‘After a while I was able to mumble a few words and I had a lisp for a while due to how swollen my mouth was.’