Dr Larry Wolford - Dallas TX

[kavan]

If you had it this November, it might take some time for the soft tissues to heal up.

[amyg]

I completely understand and I hope that things improve. My symptoms however have not changed they are actually worse in some respects so time will tell.

[TWGOAT]

What symptoms ?

You're less than a month out, i would wait at least 3-6 months minimum before seeing improvement, especially if you had severe pain pre op

[amyg]

Somewhere on this thread I posted some insurance and out of pocket figures for my surgery and I need to delete the  post because BCBSTX quoted me incorrect figures. It seems to have vanished. Maybe delete by Mods. I don’t know. Anyway the post needs to be deleted because the figures are wrong. Sorry about that.

[GJ]

Somewhere on this thread I posted some insurance and out of pocket figures for my surgery and I need to delete the  post because BCBSTX quoted me incorrect figures. It seems to have vanished. Maybe delete by Mods. I don’t know. Anyway the post needs to be deleted because the figures are wrong. Sorry about that.

I deleted it because we don't discuss figures here.

[amyg]

I am writing another follow up on my experience with Dr Wolford in North Texas. If you actually need total joint replacement (which most people don’t) then I suppose Dr Wolford is a good choice. But you better be 100% sure that’s what you want because he will offer it to you whether you need it or not. I’m not going to make any direct allegations here just know that it doesn’t matter how many other qualified surgeons have said you don’t need the operation. He will say you need it. Period. In my case, my jaw joints weren’t even the primary problem although Dr Wolford insisted they were. Having had my joints replaced has made my situation 100% worse than it was because he never bothered to actually diagnose me. Now I am currently waiting to be seen at the Mayo Clinic to determine if anything can be done to fix this mess. Again my case is somewhat unusual so I’m not indicating that Dr Wolford is a bad surgeon. What I am saying is you need a definitive diagnosis before you walk in his office because he’s going to tell you that you need your joints replaced even if that’s not what is wrong with you. Get many opinions before you see him. Then if you are absolutely 100% sure you need your joints replaced he will do an excellent job. Proceed with caution.

[GJ]

I am writing another follow up on my experience with Dr Wolford in North Texas. If you actually need total joint replacement (which most people don’t) then I suppose Dr Wolford is a good choice. But you better be 100% sure that’s what you want because he will offer it to you whether you need it or not. I’m not going to make any direct allegations here just know that it doesn’t matter how many other qualified surgeons have said you don’t need the operation. He will say you need it. Period. In my case, my jaw joints weren’t even the primary problem although Dr Wolford insisted they were. Having had my joints replaced has made my situation 100% worse than it was because he never bothered to actually diagnose me. Now I am currently waiting to be seen at the Mayo Clinic to determine if anything can be done to fix this mess. Again my case is somewhat unusual so I’m not indicating that Dr Wolford is a bad surgeon. What I am saying is you need a definitive diagnosis before you walk in his office because he’s going to tell you that you need your joints replaced even if that’s not what is wrong with you. Get many opinions before you see him. Then if you are absolutely 100% sure you need your joints replaced he will do an excellent job. Proceed with caution.

Didn't he patent the joint replacements that he uses? It seems like a conflict of interest if that's true, and maybe why everyone gets recommended them.

[amyg]

Yes. He assisted TMJ Concepts in getting the patent so he obviously has a stake in it. He does MANY joint replacements. The nurses at the hospital told me he has patients recovering from this procedure continuously all year long. He’s fully booked. It’s a little hard to believe that so many of his patients all need their joints replaced but there you have it. Once the procedure is over if there are any issues outside his “area of expertise” you’re on your own. When asked for referrals to other specialists he says he doesn’t know any. He did finally write a very generalized letter of referral to the Mayo Clinic for me. I had to write my own letter to get an appointment.

[ForeignCartographer]

I'm sorry you have not improved after the TMJ replacements. It's s**t that we get mucked around whilst being in pain, despair and depression. Often the ones who are meant to be helping us, take advantage.

I have heard similar stories about Dr Wolford before and now I will definitely avoid him.

Have you tried a nerve block? Dr Mark Piper seems pretty knowledgable about the TMJ, look him up if you haven't already.