Joshua Omalza lost his smile last year after a work-related accident in September left him with multiple injuries, including several missing front teeth.
Omalza, a 35-year-old Haleiwa resident, is a laborer who was working on a weeklong assignment as a pipe layer. After being asked to cut through a pipe, Omalza heard a pop and knew he was in trouble.
"As soon as the blade went into the pipe, I heard it crack, then a loud explosion," he said.
The saw he was using flew out of his hands and wreaked havoc on his body. After the blast it hit his face and knocked out his front teeth.
"My head snapped back, and the saw hit my abdomen and I tore my rotator cuff," he said. The saw also hit his arms and lower back when he tried to flee.
Once the water subsided, he made his way to safety. "I was bleeding and climbed out of the 7-foot trench. It all happened so fast. It’s like filling a balloon with air and popping it with a needle."
Omalza has worked on his irecovery since the accident, going to physical therapy and trying to heal while avoiding surgery. "Turning doorknobs and completing simple tasks were really rough."
Losing his smile was probably the hardest thing, he said. "Before the accident I was happy-go-lucky and always smiling."
His attitude took a dive during the two months he searched for a dentist who would fix his teeth. It was difficult to find someone who would handle his workers’ compensation case, he explained.
"I talked to eight or nine dentists and oral surgeons, and no one would touch it. At that point I contemplated suicide. My mouth hurt really bad."
Eating was difficult, and he was embarrassed to come into contact with people. "When people met me, they would look at me like I was doing drugs. It was painful and hurtful. It changed my whole attitude. I was really feeling lost," he said.
Cosmetic dentist Cecile Sebastian set up an initial visit when Omalza was still dealing with cuts and bruises on his face and lacerations in his gums and lips. He was missing two front teeth from the impact of the blast, neither of which was salvageable, and two more fractured teeth needed to be extracted.
"When Dr. Sebastian told me that she’d help me, I literally broke down in tears and started crying. So much weight was lifted off my shoulders," he said. "I’d been walking around with an angry face. I had lots of anxiety and depression, and didn’t want to go out of the house and face anyone."
After multiple treatments and procedures, which included bone grafts, the replacement of all tooth roots, temporary dentures and retainers, and fabricated porcelain crowns, he now has four front teeth again.
Omalza continues to take pain medication and works on healing his shoulder, neck and lower back. He hopes that eventually the pain will subside and medication will not be required.
"I’ve learned to be a lot more patient," he said. "I’m thankful that I didn’t lose my eyesight or a limb."
And Omalza, who never imagined he’d be smiling again, now has stronger, straighter teeth. "My smile looks so natural. It looks like my old teeth but even better."
