Why did one side of my cheek become very noticeably deflated?

Question

I was in a car accident 2 years ago where I suffered from a TBI and a stroke. My right side became temporarily paralyzed and I had to go through several months of therapy. I have some nerve damage on the right side of my mouth since that area took the hit from the accident and I had to get braces since my teeth were knocked out&crooked. I then noticed that my right cheek became very deflated & it's so noticeable. I'm just wondering if the trauma has something to do with it & if there's any cure.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

If you have facial volume loss there are many options such as fat, fillers and implants. I suggest you see a cosmetic dermatologist with experience.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Sean R. Weiss, MD, FACS · Answer

It is likely that you had a fracture of the maxilla bone on the right side. This bone provides support to the cheek area.  If the bone was fractured it may not be supporting the cheek tissue the way that it did before the accident and this may cause a flattened appearance. Depending on your specific situation, this might be corrected with A cheek implant or fat grafting or bone grafting. contouring procedures.  Best regards

William Marshall Guy, MD · Answer

Hello Shellyp1029,Sorry to hear about your accident.  The most common reason for the cheek to look deflated after an accident like this is a fracture of the cheek bone itself (called the zygoma or zygomaticomaxillary complex).  This long out it would be difficult to fix that bone into a better spot.  Because of that, you are looking are ways to camouflage the area.  This may be done with cheek implants, fillers, or fat transfer depending on the degree of augmentation needed.  I would recommend you consult with a facial plastic surgeon to go over your options.  I hope this helps and good luck.

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD (retired) · Answer

Hi, non smiling photos of your face from the front and side would help in the evaluation.  It is possible that you suffered a fracture of the malar area which pushed the bone inward.  In this case or in the case of some fatty tissue loss over the cheek area, a dermal filler can be considered.  Hope this helps.

Why did one side of my cheek become very noticeably deflated?

Answers (4)

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