Pros/Cons Of Cheek Implants

Depending upon the shape of your face, cheek implants can change a more rounded or oval face to one that is more angulated and give the appearance of some narrowing of the face or elongation depending upon where they are placed and what you are trying to accomplish. I think you should consider fillers first since they offer some idea of what a more permanent implant can do without the risks and it is temporary so the results will go away if you do not like it.

acial Implants for facial bone augmentation

A wide variety of facial implants are currently available for the enhancement of the skeletal elements of facial aesthetics. The most commonly used facial implants are used to enhance the profile of the chin and the cheeks. Facial implants very widely not only in shape and style, but also in terms of the materials from which they are fabricated.

My preference is to use structural fat grafting, as much as possible, to enhance facial features. In many cases, the need for a solid implant can be eliminated by the careful and meticulous grafting of a patient's own fat. While the incidence of complications with facial implants is not high, certain problems may develop which require implant removal including infection and implant migration. Bone resorption (bone loss) has also been reported below solid facial implants. Neither of these problems are an issue with structural fat grafting.

The only setting in which I currently use a solid facial implant is for chin implant augmentation. Some patients with a 'weak' chin profile can be adequately improved by structural fat grafting alone. However, when the chin protrusion needs to be enhanced by a half centimeter or more, a chin implant is absolutely required. I prefer to use a soft, flexible, anatomic chin implant that conservatively enhances the anterior projection of the chin in profile. The chin implant is placed through an incision hidden underneath the chin, an area where many people already have a scar from a fall in childhood.

Moderate enhancement of chin projection in appropriate patients can dramatically enhance the profile, in a manner that is completely natural-appearing. It is remarkable how increasing chin prominence in some patients will reduce the apparent prominence of the nose, and restore an overall sense of harmony and balance to facial features.

For enhancement of the cheek bone area, I rely exclusively on structural fat grafting. Careful and meticulous fat grafting not only avoids some of the potential complications of solid cheek implants, but it also allows more precise 'customization' of the aesthetic improvement that can be obtained for each individual patient. It is also my opinion that structural fat grafting produces a more natural-appearing enhancement of the cheek area than what is generally achieved through the placement of solid implants over the cheekbone.

Cheek implants can give dramatic, long lasting augmentation and lift to flat or sagging malar midface areas. The cons beside having an invasive surgery (anesthsia, bleeding, infection, nerve injury risk) are if they shift or become dislodged or infected which will require removal and further surgery. I suggest you consider augmentation with fillers first and see how you like the effect before having implants. You won't burn any bridges if you like the effect and if you don't it won't be permanent.

Longer lasting fillers such as Radiesse have many advantages over implants. One obvious advantage is that surgery is not required. Another is that you can get either a rapid or a gradual correction depending upon how many syringes you have injected and you can decide as you go exactly how much correction looks good. Also, as your face ages it changes over the years, touch up treatments are constantly being modified to fit the changing face.

 I have performed many Cheek Augmentations, over the past 20 years, with fillers and Cheek Implants.  Without photos, of your face, I can't tell if Cheek Augmentation will improve your appearance.  Cheek Implants are placed directly on top of the bone to create an improved aesthetic shape. 

 I prefer using silastic Cheek Implants that are placed through an incision on the inside of the mouth.  I have not found it necessary to sew or screw the implants in place but do have all of my Cheek Implant patients sleep on a U-shaped pillow for 1 month after the surgery.

 IMHO, it takes a quantum level more sophisticated aesthetic sense to select and use the appropriately sized and shaped Cheek Implant, so be certain to consult with an experienced Cheek Implant surgeon.