Cheek implants
What is cheek implants?
Risks
Preparing for cheek implants
Recovery
What is cheek implants?
Surgery to place cheek implants is a procedure
that helps create more prominent cheekbones and
add more "drama" to the face.
Plastic surgeons most often use facial implants
or bone grafts to contour cheekbones though they
may also use bone grafts. Today’s implants
are made of materials that create a natural look
and can be shaped to fit the patient's unique
facial structure.
In the last few years, some plastic surgeons
have begun using fat taken from other areas of
the body, such as the buttocks, to augment cheeks.
They think that using the patient's own fat reduces
the risk of infection and creates a more natural
look. If your surgeon uses fat to augment your
cheeks, she or he will remove fat from another
area of your body, purify it, and then inject
it into the place where you want greater volume.
Unless you're having other facial surgery at
the same time, the surgeon will make a small incision
at the top of your gums and insert the implants,
moving them into place between the bone and the
soft tissue. The sutures inside your mouth will
dissolve in a few days.
Risks
Every type of surgery has risks,
but you can usually help prevent complications
by carefully following your physician's instructions.
It's important to talk with your plastic surgeon
before surgery to be sure you understand the potential
risks and complications. If you don't understand
something, ask!
The greatest risk associated with having cheek
implants is infection. Once an infection starts,
implants usually must be removed and replaced.
Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help
ward off infection.
Preparing for cheek implants
If you smoke, it's important to stop well before
this procedure to allow your body's healing process
to be as successful as possible.
Recovery
During the recovery period, you'll need to eat
soft foods and limit talking and smiling for a
few days. Pain should be minimal and can be lessened
with a mild pain reliever. Your doctor may prescribe
an oral antibiotic rinse to help prevent infections.
After the surgery, the incisions in your mouth
can increase the risk for infection from the normal
bacteria in your mouth. Be especially vigilant
about oral hygiene according to your doctor's
instructions.
You can expect to have swelling, bruising and
perhaps some numbness, all of which should improve
within three to six weeks.
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