Update: Michelle has received surgery 2 of 5. Thank you for your continued support!Michelle was born with a dental congenital defect that, left untreated, will reduce her life expectancy to about 60. Unfortunately, because insurance companies consider this a dental issue and not a medical one very little of the procedures she needs will be covered by insurance. The estimated cost after the bits that insurance will cover is $67,000. What is this incredibly expensive defect? She has only 9 permanent teeth instead of the normal 32 as well as a jawbone "as thin as a potato chip." Jawbones need teeth to stimulate them and without them, they degrade. Michelle's jaw is already visibly smaller and it will continue to shrink throughout her life without these surgeries. We respectfully ask for you to consider giving here. Nothing is more precious than increasing the amount of time we have together.