PAPILLION, Neb. —

Not many people look forward to surgery, but Kaitland Simpson has been waiting for this one for 30 years.

Simpson lost all her teeth as a child to Sjögren's Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that attacks her salivary glands.

"I didn't think I would get here. It's been a long time," Simpson said.

Oral Surgery Associates and maxillofacial surgeon Stephen Coffey are changing her life, one implant at a time. Omaha's News Leader highlighted Dr. Coffey's work in 2020, when he helped a local mom and mentor with a new smile.

"We're putting multiple dental implants into somebody's mouth that will ultimately support a dental implant-supported full bridge of teeth," Coffey said.

Simpson started her journey to a new smile with surgery on Monday. It'll be an almost four-month

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