Cheek and chin implants were first used for reconstruction of the face after birth defects and damage caused by accidents or trauma. Originally, solid silicone implants were being used in the late 1950's for re-building the face in this way.
Now, in the early 21st century, cheek and chin implants are used regularly by cosmetic surgeons to make a person's cheeks or jaw lines more rounded and of a pleasing shape and to correct any defects that may have occurred.
Malarplasty is the medical term used to describe the augmentation or general reshaping of the cheeks and jaw.
CHIN SURGERY
Insertion of a chin implant may take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. During the procedure, the surgeon selects the proper size and shape implant to enhance your appearance and inserts it into a pocket over the front of the jawbone. The small incision to create the pocket and insert the implant is placed inside the mouth (along the lower lip) or in the skin just under the chin area.
Usually, the chin is taped after surgery to minimize swelling and discomfort. Sutures in the skin will be removed in five to seven days. If an intra-oral incision is used, the sutures will dissolve.
CHEEK SURGERY
Cheek implant surgery usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes. When cheek implants are being placed in conjunction with another cosmetic procedure, such as a facelift, forehead lift or eyelid surgery, the implants may be inserted through the incisions made for those procedures. Otherwise, an incision will be made either inside your upper lip or your lower eyelid. A pocket is then formed and an implant is inserted.
After surgery, a dressing will be applied to minimize discomfort and swelling. The severity and duration of such side effects may vary, especially if another cosmetic procedure was performed at the same time.
LOWER-JAW SURGERY
Insertion of a jaw implant usually takes about one to two hours. Internal incisions are made on either side of the lower lip to provide access for creating a pocket into which the lower-jaw implant can be inserted. Dissolving sutures are used to close the incisions.
According to statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) there were over 10,800 cheek implants and over 32,000 chin augmentation procedures performed in 2004 in the U.S..
There are no similar detailed statistics available for the United Kingdom yet, but we do know that this kind of cosmetic surgery is becoming increasingly popular.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed