jaw implant surgery Archives - Seoul Guide Medical

Jaw implants are a good option for the improvement of the jaw’s function and contour. As compared to its non-surgical alternatives, it can give better results when it comes to longevity, appearance, and stableness. Having an improved jaw can help in balancing the facial features for an enhanced appearance. It can also make a face appear more feminine or masculine through proper augmentation. If you are someone who wants to give more definition to your jaw, then a jaw implant could be the answer. 

Jaw Implants, also known as mandibular augmentation or jaw augmentation, is a plastic surgery procedure that uses facial implants to improve the proportion of facial features. According to an article in the Yaremchuk and Chen, “Augmenting the contours of the mandible balances facial dimensions while adding definition and angularity to the lower third of the face.” This procedure is intended to balance the face by making a “weak” jaw look more angular and defined.

The procedure can be for cosmetic purposes or medical purposes such as correction of the jaw structure due to birth defects or face trauma because of an accident or injury. The most common materials used for jaw implants are silicone rubber or porous polythene. 

Plastic surgery procedures help in improving the facial features that no other treatment and remedy can do. If you had a dermal filler treatment in your jaw to create more definition, it is highly likely that you would want to have jaw implants since it can offer better benefits than injectable fillers. Some of the benefits of getting a jaw implant include: 

• The results are long-lasting 
• Improvement of your frontal and side facial appearance 
• Redefines the jawline 
• Enhances the appearance to make it more feminine or masculine 
• Boost in confidence level
• Customized treatment for every patient 
• Creates balance and symmetry within the facial features 
• Improvement of volume in the jaw area 

A jaw implant procedure is highly customized based on the needs and goals of the patient. It can be performed alone or in combination with other facial implants and plastic surgery procedures. The operation itself lasts for about one to two hours. For the anesthesia, twilight or local anesthesia is usually used, but for more complex cases, the doctor can opt to use general anesthesia instead. The following are the steps and measures done before and during a jaw implant procedure: 

Before the jaw procedure: During the consultation, the doctor will analyze your jaw area and also screen you to know whether you are qualified for the procedure. During this stage, you will also be asked in detail what your concerns are regarding your jaw area, what improvements you feel might be best, and what your goal is after the procedure. The doctor will also tell you what he can do to achieve your goal and possibly give you other alternative procedures that may complement a jaw implant. 

Before you undergo surgery: it is best to take all the needed rest and eat the right kind of diet to boost your immune system to help with faster healing after the procedure. It is also vital to stop taking medications and supplements that may cause complications; most importantly, it is highly recommended that you quit smoking and drinking alcohol. 

 During the jaw implant procedure 

1. Once the anesthesia has taken effect, the treatment area will be cleaned and disinfected. 
2. The surgeon will then make small incisions on both sides of the lower area of the mouth. 
3. He then lifts the soft tissues that are sticking to the bone structure of the jaw to make space for the implant, also known as a pocket. 
4. They will then place the customized implant in the pocket against the jawbone and secure it using titanium screws. 
5. When the implant has been secured in its proper place, your doctor will stitch the incisions using dissolvable sutures. 

Jaw implants take a long time to heal, just like other jaw-related surgeries. After the surgery, it is expected that you will experience swelling and bruising for one to two days. Your doctor will prescribe you pain medications to ease any pain and discomfort and will advise you to apply a cold compress on the area to help with the swelling.

Since the implant and incisions were made in the area where you chew, your diet will be restricted to liquid food like soup for about two days and soft food for about ten days. You also have to make sure that you sleep face up with your head elevated to prevent the collection of fluids in the face.

If you have a desk job, you may be allowed to return to work after a week or two. Vigorous activities like exercise are only allowed after four to six weeks. During this time, you have to make sure that you do not touch or rub the area where the implant was installed to allow it to heal properly.

After six months, your skin tissues will have healed and should be binding with the installed implant. It is during this time that you will see the full improvement of your face and jaw area. 

After a jaw implant, you will not be able to see the results right away since there will be swelling and bruising in the area of the operation. You will notice the improvement gradually appear until you have fully recovered from the procedure. If you could see the before and after pictures, the patients’ faces look better after having the procedure. The results are not dramatic, only subtle, but you can still see that their jaws are more defined and symmetrical. 

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A jaw implant procedure mainly helps in adding definition and balancing the appearance of the jaw and the whole face structure. The usual materials used for a jaw implant are either silicone rubber or porous polythene. The procedure lasts for around one to two hours with the incisions done inside the mouth, thus scarring is not visible. The initial recovery takes only one to two weeks, while the full recovery time can take three to six months. There should be no complications during the recovery period if you take good care of the operated area, and if you follow the doctor’s post-operation instructions. 

The results of a jaw implant may not be dramatic, but they do a lot to improve the facial balance. If you are considering a jaw implant and you want to experience the benefits that it can offer, you may contact Seoul Guide Medical through our website. We assure you that your aesthetic and cosmetic goals will be achieved through the best doctors who give results that are of international standard.