Michael van Gerwen is aiming for more PDC World Championship glory after a year blighted by surgery.
The three-time champion is one of the most recognizable faces in the sport with his charming smile and supreme skill making him a fan favorite at Ally Pally.
He was a heavy favorite to claim a fourth title in London last January before suffering a shock quarter-final exit.
The Dutchman was beaten 5-3 by England’s Scott Williams, who lost to eventual winner Luke Humphries in the next round.
Van Gerwen was struggling with jaw pain at the tournament, following unsuccessful dental surgery in the summer of 2023.
He underwent another operation last year before returning in August – winning the Players Championship 21 in Wigan a month later.
Van Gerwen is now in yet another final after the tournament, but it looks slightly different than normal.
Why did Van Gerwen have surgery?
“Mighty Mike” had an underbite, where his upper jaw was shorter than his lower, which affected his bite, breathing and sleep.
He explained last year: “I’m going to have an operation where my upper and lower jaw will be broken. Put them on top of each other.
“Then it’s all about recovery. Another two years in a bracket. Then I’m almost done.
“Between the first operation this year and the second, there must be at least one year.
“It’s because my upper jaw is much smaller than my lower jaw. My underbite is over a centimeter.
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“Even a slice of ham, I can’t even bite right. And because my upper jaw is so small, you get less oxygen through your nose.
“This creates headaches. Less sleep. Things like that.
“You have to plan things, especially with my schedule. I can still eat. But only you bite wrong. You don’t eat the way you should.
“It’s the same as last year with my carpal tunnel syndrome. It had to happen. There are no other options. To me, it’s not really a big deal.
“Given what I’ve been through, I sometimes underestimate it. I think to myself, “Why am I so hard on myself all the time?” But that’s how I am.”
Van Gerwen’s second operation came after the World Matchplay, which saw him take another break from his grueling darts schedule.
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In an interview with AD, he revealed: “They’re going to break and reattach my upper and lower jaw.
“My upper jaw, they’re going to take it six millimeters forward and my lower jaw they’re going to put it back just three millimeters. I have a big underbite, an overbite, as they call it. This bothers me a lot.
“Anyway, with the food, your teeth wear down and you snore more because of it. I can’t wait. I can’t bite into another slice of ham. You’ll have enough of this sometime. After that, I hope to put an end to all physical ailments”.
Van Gerwen is in the latter part of long-term treatment but the discomfort continues to disrupt his performances.
After his World Series victory over Jonny Clayton, he said De Telegraaf. “From the beginning they were fighting, but I didn’t feel well all day.
“In front of the home crowd, you put extra pressure on yourself anyway. I’ve been playing really well the last couple of weeks, but I’ve been losing games while averaging 100+. Sure, there’s more in the tank, but anything that doesn’t help you uphill becomes a small irritation.
“Anyone who’s ever had a root canal and knows what it’s like, I can say it’s a small boy compared to what I went through.
“It really didn’t feel good, but it must be to hold it together. My lower jaw is searching and wants to go back to its old position. I had a serious underbite. A steak or a hard baguette, that’s still a no-go.”
Van Gerwen dispatched Chris Dobey 6-1 in the semi-finals to reach his sixth World Championship final.
He will now face teenage superstar Luke Littler in Friday’s bout.
Tune in talkSPORT for coverage of the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship final from 7pm. on Friday as we bring you exclusive live commentary from Alexandra Palace. Listen via the web player, our app, DAB or through your smart speaker.
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