What is the difference between submalar, malar & combined submalar implants?

Submalar, malar, and combined malar/submalar implants are different types of implants that augment the cheek area.  Submalar implants are placed below the cheek bones to add volume to the mid portion of the cheek.  Malar implants are placed directly on top of the cheek bone to provide more augmentation to the outer, upper part of the cheek.  A combined submalar/malar implant augments both portions in one implant.  Without examining you or seeing pictures of you, it is impossible to tell if you might be a good candidate for any of these implants.  

The fundamental difference between these types of cheek implants is the surface area of the cheek that they cover/augment. The malar is the cheek bone prominence while the submalar is the bony area on the underside of the cheek bone. It is easy to see, therefore, that the combined malar-submalar shell implant covers a broader area of the midface than either the malar or submalar cheek implants alone. The indications for malar vs submalar are quite different even though they are facial areas right next to each other.

 Cheek implants are manufactured in a variety of sizes( small, medium, large, extra large) and shapes( malar, sub--malar, and combined). They are composed of Silastic, and are inserted through an intra-oral approach under a brief general anesthetic as an outpatient procedure. The size and shape of the implant is determined at time of the consultation and examination of the maxilla and cheeks. Digital computer imaging would be helpful to understand what cheek augmentation can accomplish upon your facial features. For more information, diagrams, measurements of the implants, and many examples, please see the video and the link below