Posts Tagged ‘custom jaw implants’
Saturday, December 31st, 2011
Q: I’m very interested in chin and jawline enhancement, particularly the solid one piece custom made framework. I have very little time off these days due to the economy so time off and downtime is of great concern for me. I loved the before and after pictures and would be ecstatic to get rid of my beard which I have worn since I was 19. I have had several other surgeries with great success and am very pleased with their outcome. I look forward to hearing from you.
A: Thank you for your inquiry. There are numerous types of preformed and custom jawline implants, depending upon one’s lower jaw and neck anatomy. Most are three-piece assembled units (extended chin and jaw angles) as opposed to a single-piece unit. The only one-piece unit is when only vertical elongation of the mandible/chin is being done which is the least common.
Whether one can be augmented with available preformed implants or requires a custom approach depends on what one wants to achieve as it relates to the jawline. I would need to see some pictures of you and do some computer imaging of the options to see the differences between a preformed vs a custom approach. The basic difference is that custom jaw implants offer increased augmentation sizes and can create a smooth straightline jawline from the chin back to the jaw angle. There has to be a compelling reason to use the custom approach as it requires a CT scan from which a model and the implants are made and thus costs more.
Whether preformed or custom jaw implants are used, the recovery is no different. While there are few physical limitations afterwards (other than some temporary restricted oral opening), there is considerable facial swelling which takes up to three weeks until it largely passes.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana
Tags: custom jaw implants, dr barry eppley, indianapolis, jawline enhancement
Posted in Your Questions | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011
Q: I have a deficient jawbone on my right jaw. I had braces in my teens, but I never had the underlying jaw issue corrected (there is lack of bone on the entire side). My teeth are somewhat slanted to compensate for this (deficient ramus included), and I have a bit shorter jaw on one side. I saw your comment on the custom jaw implant. I have a CT scan and am curious as to the cost of the custom implant. This of course is a cosmetic procedure, and I don’t think I want to suffer another 2 years in braces and jaw surgery when potentially an implant will work out for what I want (especially since my teeth fit very well right now). It does not bother me much, but I could definitely benefit from having more structure to one side of my face, as my chin gives a pointy appearance due to the lack of jawline. What is the estimated cost of a full length jaw implant underneath the bone? I take it this is screwed in? If something goes wrong, can it be removed without damage to the nerves/muscles? Any risks 20 years down the line? Thanks.
A: What is have sounds very similar to a variation of hemifacial microsomia where the one side of the face is shorter than the other, particularly the lower jaw. This cases the bite (occlusion) to be canted upward, the chin deviates to the shorter side and the jawline/jaw angle is less full on that side. The first important question is whether a custom implant is really needed at all for improvement of the right jaw. A common approach is a chin osteotomy to move the chin point to the midline and an extended off-the-shelf jaw angle implant. This may well work fine for you and would obviate the added expense ($7500) for custom implant fabrication. Custom implants are invaluable when nothing else will work well, but more standard techniques with your jaw asymmetry problem may offer similar results.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis Indiana
Tags: custom jaw implants, dr barry eppley, indianapolis, jaw asymmetry, plastic surgery of the jaw
Posted in Your Questions | No Comments »
Monday, February 28th, 2011
Q: I read an article on jaw implants in which you wrote “In some cases, no available off-the-shelf chin or jaw angle implant can create the desired effect due to a patient’s unique anatomy or aesthetic needs. In this situation, a customized ‘wrap-around’ jawline implant can be made from a 3-D CT scan of the patient. These can be made as a single implant or in multiple units that can be inserted in pieces and assembled when next to the bone. This approach is particularly useful when the jawline needs to be vertically lengthened. (implant sitting on the bottom edge of the bone)” Can you go into detail about the process of the custom mandibular implant with the 3-D CT scan? And from that how that fits into someone who travels for the surgery?
A: While standard chin and jaw implants will work most of the time, there are some patients whose jaw problem is beyond conventional implant designs. There are also patients who have been successfully implanted but do not like the aesthetic outcome that has resulted. These ‘implant-deficient’ patients have either vertical jawline deficiency, extreme chin deformities or the desire to have a more exaggerated jaw angle prominence. In these cases, only a custom jaw implant will suffice.
The process of making a custom jaw implant begins with the patient getting a 3-D CT scan at a local hospital or x-ray facility. That 3-D mandibular data is then sent to a custom model manufacturer. (I use Medical Modeling, Golden, CO) That model is then sent to me where I will hand carve out of wax or acrylic the desired implant(s) shape. Once approved by the patient, it is then sent to an implant manufacturer who will manufacture and sterilize the final implant(s). It will then be shipped to me for surgical implantation. This entire process takes about 4 to 6 weeks to complete. For someone traveling from afar, they only have to make one visit for the actual surgery. All preparations can be done from afar.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana
Tags: custom jaw implants, dr barry eppley, indianapolis, plastic surgery of the jaw
Posted in Your Questions | No Comments »
Saturday, November 20th, 2010
Q: I recently came across an article written by you regarding jaw angle implants for male patients. I went through this particular surgery and I am saddened to say I am not exactly happy with the results. It is a tough situation to be in, but now I realize I should have pursued a CT scan and customized implants, though it was not an option for me or the doctor who treated me at the time. What do you recommend for me now?
A: There are multiple reasons why dissatisfaction can occur after jaw angle implant surgery. The two main reasons are implant size and implant style. Like any implants placed anywhere in the body, they can end up being too big or too small. But that is not the impression that I am getting about your dissatisfaction. Implant style, or how the implant actually changes the shape of the jaw angle, is actually the most common problem. One type of jaw angle implant merely makes the existing jaw angle wider, known as lateral angle augmentation. Most men interested in improving their jaw angle definition, however, don’t suffer from an exclusive width problem. They are interested in a wider and more defined angle which means extending the angle lower as well. That is a different jaw angle implant style, known as inferolateral angle augmentation, and is more difficult to surgically place. Getting lateral jaw angle augmentation when you really need or want inferolateral jaw angle augmentation will only make your jaw look puffy and wide and not get that more sharply defined angle that many men are seeking.
The other jaw implant problem is when one really needs vertical lengthening of the entire lower jaw line but they end up getting lateral jaw angle implants. Vertical jaw implants are ideally made on custom basis for each patient off of a 3-D model from a CT scan. But a combination of an inferolateral jaw angle implant combined with a prejowl chin implant may suffice in some cases. Since you mentioned a CT scan and custom implants, this may be the problem to which you refer.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis Indiana
Tags: custom jaw implants, dr barry eppley, indianapolis, jaw angle implants, plastic surgery
Posted in Your Questions | No Comments »
|
|
|
|