Woman Shot By Ex, Gifted New Smile By Florida Surgeon
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- A woman - left deformed after her ex-boyfriend shot her- has something to smile about.
Janay Monroe -a single mother -lost much of her lower jaw and teeth three years ago when her boyfriend shot her multiple times.
"I definitely hid my face a lot. I wouldn't talk or just lots of makeup. It was just hard for me to connect with new people," said Monroe.
Her ex-boyfriend Marvin Marrett, 27, shot her in the face.
Monroe was rushed to Broward Health Medical Center with a bullet to the face and two to the chest.
It was there where she was initially treated by Dr. Leslie Sultan – an oral and maxilla facial surgeon.
"The bone basically between the molars on both sides were just shattered into about 20 different pieces. Her tongue was completely detached from her jaw," said Sultan.
Marrett ended up being sentenced to 50 years in prison but Monroe's nightmare continued.
Despite several reconstructive surgeries, she was left with a deformed lower jaw and no lower teeth.
Eventually Monroe reconnected with Dr. Sultan who offered her the ultimate gift – a brand new smile.
The surgery included the removal of gunshot fragments and titanium plate, placing dental implants in her lower jaw, and a custom-designed dental bridge.
"Once the swelling went down, all I could do was really cry," said Monroe. "I felt like I have my face back. I have a better smile. I was very overjoyed and I just kept feeling very, very, very grateful."
