Health · Medical Research · 9 hrs ago
Australian woman says jaw surgery ended 15 years of migraines
Australian Stephanie Benedetti says migraine attacks disrupted her life for about 15 years, often leaving her in bed for days.
She says she consulted more than 20 doctors, had six brain MRI scans and spent over $1 million seeking answers.
In 2025, she sought a detailed scan of her teeth and jaw, then got a second opinion at a specialist clinic in Melbourne.
The clinic identified changes in her lower jaw near old wisdom-tooth removal sites and recommended surgery.
Benedetti says surgeons treated areas they described as chronic infections, and her migraines stopped after the procedures.
By the time of a November 2026 interview, she said she had gone about nine months without another attack.
Whether jawbone cavities cause wider health problems remains disputed, and research has not established them as a separate disease or proven they cause pain.
Her experience is a personal account, not evidence that the same treatment will help others.
Stephanie Benedetti says surgery on her jaw ended migraine attacks she had experienced for about 15 years.
She says the attacks often came weekly or every two weeks and could last two to four days.
In 2025, a 3D scan led a specialist dental clinic in Melbourne to identify changes in her lower jaw at old wisdom-tooth removal sites.
Benedetti had surgery in February 2026 and a second procedure several months later; she says the migraines stopped afterward.
The medical significance of jawbone cavities and any link to wider health symptoms remains disputed, and scientific evidence has not established them as a separate disease.
- Who
- Stephanie Benedetti, an Australian woman who lives mainly on Thailand’s Phuket island.
- What
- She says jaw surgery ended her migraine attacks after about 15 years.
- When
- The search for an explanation lasted about 15 years; she had her first operation in February 2026.
- Where
- The dental clinic that identified jaw changes was in Melbourne, Australia.
- Why
- Benedetti says surgeons treated areas they identified as chronic infection around old wisdom-tooth removal sites. The cause of her migraines has not been independently established.
Benedetti and her treating dental clinic
Scientific review findings
Aspect
Benedetti and her treating dental clinic
side A's view
Scientific review findings
side B's view
Jaw findings
Benedetti and her treating dental clinic
The clinic identified changes at old wisdom-tooth removal sites and recommended surgery; Benedetti says surgeons treated chronic infection there.
Scientific review findings
The medical status and significance of so-called jawbone cavities remain disputed.
Link to migraines
Benedetti and her treating dental clinic
Benedetti says her migraines stopped after surgery.
Scientific review findings
Available scientific evidence has not established that these cavities cause pain or other symptoms.
Benedetti decided to investigate her jaw and teeth and had a 3D cone-beam scan.
A specialist dental clinic in Melbourne identified changes at old wisdom-tooth removal sites and recommended surgery.
Benedetti had her first operation.
She had a second operation.
Benedetti said she had gone about nine months without another migraine attack.
- Duration of migraine history
- About 15 years
- Doctors consulted
- More than 20
- Brain MRI scans
- 6
- Estimated spending
- More than $1 million
- First operation
- February 2026
- Time without an attack
- About 9 months by the Newsweek interview
3 sources
What people are saying
the migraine attacks stopped and did not return
some migraine attacks at their worst were more painful than childbirth