The Cheek Implants may be required to restore Cheek volume that was lost due to some traumatic event. Crushing type injuries are not uncommon in car accidents or blunt facial trauma. In these instances, the Cheeks may be quite asymmetric with one Cheek requiring additional Augmentation. Current technology allows for custom made 3-D Cheek Implants that are fashioned from a CT scan of the facial bones. These Cheek Implants are very expensive and are used for only the most extreme cases of Cheek asymmetry.
Person with Inadequate Cheek Volume due to Cheek Asymmetry. Now is a good time to mention that asymmetry exists in all faces! As the face forms in-utero, each side of the face forms independently and later fuses (comes together) in the midline.
As the two sides come together, one may be higher, lower, fuller or flatter than the opposite side there by creating the asymmetry that we all have. Cheek Implants are not meant to reverse or correct these asymmetries. Cheek Implants are meant to take your Cheeks and give them a more aesthetic overall size and shape.
Person with Inadequate Cheek Volume caused by the Aging Process. Aging causes the fatty tissues, of the face, to roll forward blocking what may be adequate Cheek Volume. By accurately measuring the Cheek Bone, the proper decision regarding your need for Cheek Implants is more likely. Having said that, there are many instances where aging has further revealed inadequate Cheek volume. Let me explain this a bit further. In youth, (until late 20’s) the fatty tissue of the face includes the area over the Cheeks. The Cheeks appear full and life is wonderful. As aging progresses, the same fatty tissue is pulled down away from the Cheeks towards the nose and mouth. This then accentuates the inadequate Cheek Volume and the face appears gaunt, aged and relatively masculine. This is OK for Men, but can be devastating for Women.
Person with Inadequate or Aesthetically incorrect Cheek Implants from a previous Cheek Implant Surgery. Cheek Augmentation with Cheek Implants requires a tremendous amount of skill and aesthetic judgment from the surgeon. Think about it for a moment. Cheek Implants are quite literally altering the facial architecture and shape at the facial bone level. Cheek Implants that are the wrong shape or size may result in a decrease in attractiveness and appearance. Not all surgeons, or anyone else for that matter, are created equal with the same level of skill and experience. All skills fall under a bell-shaped curve and Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeons are no different. Here’s an example of we mean by this statement… Cheek Implant revision surgery, like all revision cases, becomes more difficult for the Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon to perform. The tissues have been scarred and disrupted from the initial Cheek Implant Procedure.
Candidates for Surgery
Candidates for Cheek Implants Surgery can be any of the following:
Person with Inadequate Cheek Volume that requires Augmentation of the Cheeks. This may be genetic...in other words you were born with small Cheeks that need Cheek Implant Surgery to give them the appropriate aesthetic shape and volume.
Unfortunately, the shape of the Cheeks changes with age as the amount of soft tissue over the Cheek bone decreases shifting downward toward the corner of the nose and mouth. As the face ages the tissues fall towards the nose, mouth and center of the neck-giving the face a more angular and therefore more relatively masculine look.
The figure (left) has undergone aging due to the pull of gravity the direction of which is shown by bold arrows. The overall effect is a relatively angular and more masculine appearance. These changes begin to occur in the thirties.
As with any type of major cosmetic plastic surgery, you will not be considered to be a good candidate for cheek implants if you have a history of psychological instability or are suffering from an autoimmune disorder. You may also be encouraged to quit smoking before having this operation, as it requires incisions inside the mouth. You may not be a candidate for this type of operation if you suffer from an eye disease, sinus problems, or dental problems in your upper jaw. If root canals or crowns need to be done on your teeth, your plastic surgeon may suggest that you get that work done first before going forward with cheek implants.
Most cheek implants are made of solid silicone that is slightly harder than normal bone. As with all major surgery, a cheek implant procedure does pose the risk of infection, bleeding or an allergic reaction to anaesthesia. A cheek implant is considered to be a prosthetic appliance that must be accepted or rejected by the human body. If an infection does occur as the result of an implant, then usually the procedure is to remove the cheek implant entirely and replace it once the infection has cleared up.