A former Navy solider has been able to smile for the first time in 10 years.
Thirty-two-year-old Dustin Kirby was shot in the face by an Iraqi sniper on Christmas Day 2006. His jaw was almost completely shattered and he has been living in pain ever since.
He told the New York post: "I was gathering pieces of meat and a bunch of debris in a little pile on the floor. I had no idea how bad it really was until I reached down and picked up an entire tooth with jaw still attached."
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He was flown to hospital before eventually being transferred to Germany, where he was fitted with metal screws into his jaw.
Dustin, who has four kids, underwent over 30 surgeries, but despite this was still left in pain. He told the Post that sometimes even breathing was painful and that he had given up hope of ever not living in pain.
That was until October last year when he met with Dr David Hirsch, who has since carried out two more surgeries and given Dustin a brand-new set of teeth.
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"I'll never forget waking up after surgery, opening my mouth and feeling just amazing. The pain that had become a part of me was gone," he said.
"Without question, this will be the best Christmas I'll have had since that day," he added.
Featured image credit: Facebook/Lenox Hill Hospital
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Surgery