Background:

Facial implants are designed for augmentative, reconstructive or rejuvenative purposes. Available in a wide range of sizes and styles for the chin, jaw, nose and cheek, implants add or restore contour and/or proportion to the face.

Technique:

The procedure follows a similar pattern for all facial areas. The surgeon makes a small incision near where the implant will be placed, either in a crease or inside the mouth at the gum/lip junction. Then a pocket in made in the facial tissue, the implant inserted, and the incision is stitched. The process generally takes 1-2 hours, usually with general anesthesia. The incision is bandaged or taped, and stitches are removed in 5-10 days (sutures placed inside the mouth will dissolve in a similar period of time). Sometimes facial implants are inserted at the same time as a facelift, nose or eyelid procedure is performed.

Benefits:

• Return to work and other normal activity within a week.


• Generally performed in the surgeon’s office or an outpatient surgical center.


• Adds aesthetically pleasing contour to the face.


• Results are essentially permanent.

Other Considerations:

• As with any surgical procedure, infection may occur. If the infection persists, the implant may have to be removed and replaced at a later time.


• Shifting of the implant is another possibility. Should the implant become slightly misaligned, a second procedure might be necessary to reposition it.


• Postoperative bruising and swelling. Mild/moderate discomfort for 1 to 2 days.


• Strenuous activity and rough contact to the implant area must be avoided for 4 to 6 weeks.


• Patients with gum or dental problems will want to confer with their dentist.