3 shapes are available depending on where the maximal point of augmentation is desired-in front of the ear, at the angle of the jaw or along the lower border between the angle & the chin. Increasing the horizontal distance between the jaw angles gives the most masculine appearance. The implants are placed through an incision inside the mouth. A suture is passed through the skin to hold the implant in place for a week or 10 days to allow for tissue ingrowth to fix the implant in place. Alternatively the implant can be screwed down to the jaw bone.
The bottom left implant increases the horizontal angle to angle distance the most. The top right implant gives the most definition to the jaw line. The top left implant and bottom right respectively increase jaw angle prominence minimally and moderately
Read Dr. Stone’s blog about facial implantsFacial Implants
Jaw implant surgery can enhance your appearance and your self confidence. Realistic expectations are important to be happy with any surgery. As each patient is an individual, different results can be expected in each patient.
Alternatives
Dermal filler and fat injections are increasingly being used as alternatives to jaw implants because of their lower cost and quicker recovery. Unfortunately they are not a good or equivalent alternative. Although bone can be removed to decrease jaw prominence it is not usually added to increase prominence.
Risks
As with any type of surgery there is the risk of infection, pain or bleeding that could necessitate removal of the implant(s). The infection rates are higher than for surgery on other body areas because of the bacteria present in the mouth and the intra-oral incision used. If an implant is removed because of infection it should not be replaced for 3 to 6 months in order to allow sufficient time for the tissue to recover and lower the risk of recurrent infection. The risk of infection is minimized by antibiotics taken for the first few days after surgery and antiseptic oral rinses employed for the first few weeks after surgery.
An implant can shift in position or extrude over time.
Temporary loss of lower lip sensation can occur. Rarely this may be permanent.
The most common complication is patient dissatisfaction with implant size and/or position. In my experience patients who pick an implant size that they think would suffice almost always choose too large an implant and therefore have a high rate of dissatisfaction and/or complications. The best way to ensure you will be happy is to pick an implant size you think will work before surgery and then have a size smaller implant placed at surgery.
Benefits
The benefits are a more masculine jawline.
Recovery
Swelling occurs for an indeterminate period. Much of the swelling will normally disappear in a few days but the remainder may require several weeks, or even months to disappear completely. Resolution of the swelling may be uneven resulting in temporary asymmetry. There may be discoloration (black and blue marks) on and about the face, for several days. In some cases the discoloration persists for considerably longer periods.
Ice compresses are applied for the first 24 hours to minimize swelling. You can place 3 wet washcloths in the freezer & serially apply them. Alternatively, a bag of frozen peas can be used as a compress.
Your head is kept elevated, no lying flat or head down position for 1 week. An ace wrap between the chin and vertex top of the head, worn for about a week, helps minimize swelling and keep the implant in position tight against the bone.
It is crucial that you eat soft foods and food cut into small pieces for the first 10 days if there are sutures inside your mouth. Eating large sandwiches or corn chips can disrupt the suture lines before they are healed exposing the implants, which routinely get infected when bathed by saliva.
No vigorous or strenuous physical activity is allowed for 2 weeks, even jogging at 1 week can cause a problem. Normal activities & work may be resumed within 3 weeks after the operation.
Trismus (pain and muscle spasm with chewing) is common after this type of surgery. The intensity of the pain diminishes and the the time between pain episodes lengthens as you recover from surgery but this may take several months. If the spasms are problematic botox can be injected to speed recovery.
Dr. Aaron Stone
Call today for a consultation!
9700 Venice BlvdCulver City, Los Angeles,CA 90232
Many people who are interested in Plastic Surgery decide not to seek treatment because of the prices associated with cosmetic plastic surgery. What they may not know is that financing plans can help manage the costs and bring cosmetic surgery within the reach of nearly every budget.Many patients choose their cosmetic surgeon based on prices for plastic surgery rather than credentials. It is important to thoroughly research your doctor to ensure that he or she has the requisite training, experience, and facility. Making sure you get the results you desire the first time around could mean lower cosmetic surgery costs in the long run. Choosing an inexperienced surgeon could jeopardize your safety and result in health problems or the need for follow-up surgeries.Dr. Stone offers patients a range of payment options to help cover plastic surgery costs, including cash, check, and credit cards. In addition, he offers plastic surgery financing plans to help patients set up an affordable payment schedule by breaking up the costs of Plastic Surgery treatment into affordable monthly payments through
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Please remember not to choose your cosmetic surgeon based solely on prices for plastic surgery rather than credentials. It is important to thoroughly research your doctor to ensure that he or she has the requisite training, experience, and facility. In addition you should feel comfortable with the Plastic Surgeon you choose. This is important because should any problems arise after surgery you need to feel you can easily call and speak with your surgeon to treat any such problems as quickly as possible. Having a good surgeon that intimidates you or that you feel uncomfortable speaking with does not help the situation. Making sure you get the results you desire the first time around could mean lower cosmetic surgery costs in the long run. Choosing an inexperienced surgeon could jeopardize your safety and result in health problems or the need for follow-up surgeries.
