Facial implants are plates of synthetic materials inserted over the bones of cheeks, the jaw, the chin or in other areas of the face to give it the appearance of fullness and youth. They are inserted through surgeries performed on an outpatient basis. Let’s see how facial implants are performed.
Pre-Operative
Your doctor will recommend the best type of anesthesia to be used during the procedure. He may prefer general anesthesia, or just administrate a local anesthetic and intravenous sedative medications for your comfort during the surgery.
During the Operation
According to the area being implanted, your doctor will choose the site for the incisions to be made. During cheek implantation, the incision is made either inside the mouth or below the lower eyelid, and if accompanied with lifting the brows or face lift, the implant is inserted through the same incisions of these procedures. The incisions for chin augmentation are usually placed similarly inside the mouth, at the natural crease line under the chin or in the area between the lower lip and the gum.
The surgeon then makes a space for the implant to be inserted in by gently stretching the tissues. He inserts the implant precisely in the right position that gives the most natural appearance, and then fixes it in place. Solid implants e.g. silicon implants are fixed by sutures or screws which attach the implant to the surrounding tissue or underlying bone. Also, the tissue around the implant may be made in the form of fitting pockets to hold the implant in.
While porous implants e.g. Medpor are fixed by a special technique, this enables the patient’s own tissues to grow inside the pores of the implant. After the implant is secured and fixed in the best place, the incisions are closed with sutures, which may dissolve on their own (such as those made inside the mouth) or must be removed by your doctor in the following ten days.
Post-Operative
Facial implantation surgeries are usually done on an outpatient basis. This means that there is no need for a stay in the hospital after the surgery. The surgical staff immediately after the surgery will monitor your condition for some time in the recovery area, then you are discharged and continue the recovery period at home. In certain cases, the doctor may decide an overnight hospital stay. It is recommended to have someone stay with you in the first 24 hours that follow the surgery.
Your doctor may apply some restrictions on your diet or recommend special instructions after the surgery. If the incisions of the surgery are inside the mouth, your diet must be restricted to soft foods only for the first few days after the surgery. Special care for your mouth is very important to keep the sutures clean. And, if the incisions are through your eyelids, you may suffer from dryness of your eyes. You are advised to use eye lubricant during the period of healing.
