Facial Implants Boston | Taylor & Sullivan Boston Plastic Surgery

Why Do People Get a Facial Implant Surgery?

The indications for facial implants are broad. Some patients may have developmental or acquired asymmetries or deficiencies.

For example children who have had radiation exposure during thier childhood may have underdeveloped facial bones. Patients with Morphea, Romberg disease or Linear Scleroderma have significant and asymmetric facial deficiencies of both bone and soft tissues.

Patients who have had surgery or traumatic injuries may benefit from a facial implant to restore orbital anatomy, or correct temporal hollowing. What we learned from the reconstructive world can similarly be applied to the aesthetic realm. The most common areas for aesthetic facial implant surgery are the cheek bones, the chin, and the mandibular angles. Facial implants can dramatically improve facial proportions and balance. The use of a facial implant can, in some situations, be faster and easier and more reliable than moving the bones themselves.

Facial Implants At A Glance

IDEAL FACELIFT/NECK LIFT CANDIDATE

Teens at least 15 or 16 years of age
Adults

WHAT FACIAL IMPLANTS DO

Restores facial harmony
Improves facial projection and shape

DURATION OF RESULT

Years

LENGTH OF PROCEDURE

1-2 hours

TYPES OF ANESTHESIA

General Anesthesia (asleep)

RECOVERY

Comfortably at home
Most swelling resolves 1 – 2 weeks

TIME OFF SCHOOL OR WORK

5-7 days

TIME OFF ACTIVITIES

AActivities of daily living – 1 day
Light exercise – 3-5 days
Full exercise – 2-3 weeks

Benefits of a Facial Implant Surgery

Facial implants are a powerful tool to correct or improve facial asymmetries or imbalance. They can be highly customized and are made with precision. An infinite range of prefabricated and custom implants can be selected, and the volume changes can be very predictable.

Here are some examples of how facial implants can be helpful:

Increase chin projection and width to better align it with the mid and upper face.
Add projection to the cheeks to increase definition, and elevate the midface.
Add definition to the jaw line
Add volume beneath the eyes to counteract some of the effects of facial aging
Correct developmental or acquired asymmetries in the temple, cheeks, nasal base, chin or mandible.
Restore skull defects after trauma or neurosurgery

Types of Facial Implants

Some of the most common types of facial implants are listed below. For patients with typical anatomy, “off the shelf” implants that come in a range of shapes and sizes are usually used. For patients with particularly unusual anatomy patients specific implants (PSI) can be fabricated from a patient ‘s CT scan data.

A Cheek Implant projection to cheek bones, adding definition and elevating the soft tissues. Cheeks may be deficient because of developmental anomalies (cleft palate), or because of aging. These implants are typically placed through intraoral incisions and secured with titanium screws.
A Chin Implant augments the width and/ or the projection of your chin to make it more proportional to your upper and midface. Chin implants can also serve to tighten redundant soft tissues in the neck, and, in the right circumstance, can enhance facial rejuvenation procedures. While these may be placed through intraoral incisions, more commonly we place them through an incision under the chin, and secure them with titanium screws.
Mandibular angle implants can enhance your jawline from both the side and front views. These implants both widen and sharpen the mandibular angles for people who have a weak jawline. These are placed through lateral intraoral incisions and secured with titanium screws.
Nasal implants can be used in some unusual circumstances. While silicone nasal implants are widely used in some countries such as South Korea, they are not as frequently used here in the United States, where there is a bias towards using a patient’s own tissues for nasal surgery.
Pyriform aperture, or paranasal implants, can be used to augment the base of the nose. This is often an area of deficiency in patients with a history of cleft lip and palate.
Orbital rim implants, are similar to cheek implants but are placed more superiorly and eponymously along the orbital rim to restore a more youthful appearance to this area, or correct an acquired asymmetry.
A Temporal Implant is placed under the skin at the temple and fills in hollows from the side of your eyes to your forehead. These are most commonly used in patients who had neurosurgical procedures, craniectomies, with resultant retraction of the soft tissues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I a candidate for Facial Implant Surgery?

Patients with developmental or acquired asymmetries, or those seeking to add volume for aesthetic reasons may be appropriate candidates for facial implants. Many patients in this category could consider an implant or the use of their own tissues (bone, cartilage, or fat) to accomplish the same goal. There are pros and cons to the use of facial implants versus use of your own tissues.

One nice thing is that there is no donor site, and the shape changes can be precise and customized. On the flip side, it does mean implantation of a foreign material, and those attendant risks. As with all elective procedures, we believe you should be nicotine and smoke free to minimize the risks of complications. During your consultation with Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan, we will discuss what you hope to achieve and the best course of action to safely achieve your desired results.

What are the results of Facial Implant Surgery?

Facial implants can have a profoundly beneficial effect on facial harmony or symmetry. Effects can be seen immediately after surgery, though the swelling takes weeks to resolve, and the soft tissues may take some time to settle and adapt. Facial implants are designed to last a lifetime, but rarely implants may need to be removed, if there has been migration, infection, or other problems. We often use porous polyethylene implants which are nonreactive, and allow for blood vessels to grow into them. This reduces the risk of infection, which is always of concern when implanting a foreign body.

What is the recovery like after Facial Implant Surgery?

The use of facial implants circumvents the need for making large bony movements, and is therefore less painful than operations that move the bone itself. Facial implants are typically placed through incisions within the mouth or beneath the chin, or within the hairline. Most of our Boston facial implant patients do not experience significant pain. Patients typically go home the same day. Swelling however is common, and if incisions within the mouth are used we will likely restrict your diet to liquid-only for a couple of days. We recommend avoiding contact sports for 4-6 weeks.

Consultation for Facial Implant Surgery in Boston

If you would like to learn more about facial implant surgery, please contact us to set up your consultation with Dr. Taylor or Dr. Sullivan. While one doctor will be your primary surgeon, they usually operate together as a team to optimize your care and safety. When we meet in person we can analyze your particular situation to help determine whether a facial implant or use of your own tissues might be preferable. As plastic surgeons with additional craniofacial fellowship training, we feel comfortable with a wide array of approaches.

We are open to hearing your particular preference and concerns, and hope to guide you openly and honestly. Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan have been named among the best board-certified plastic surgeons in Boston by Boston Magazine each year since they began practicing in the area.

Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan trained at some of the finest medical institutions in the world, including Harvard Medical School, where they now teach medical students and residents. Striving to deliver the best facial implants Boston has to offer, their goal is to provide honest and informative consultations and to perform surgery with precision, compassion and an emphasis on safety. Excellence with compassion is the motto of Mount Auburn Hospital, which we aspire to achieve each and every day.

Facial Implantsin Boston