Can My Facial Asymmetry Be Improved With A Jaw Implant?

Q: Dr. Eppley, the left side of my face is different from the right side. It seems to be missing jaw bone. Is it possible to even up my face with the jaw implants? I have attached a picture.

A: Thank you for sending your picture. It is not the best picture (from an angle standpoint) but it does show that you do have significant facial asymmetry which appears to affect the jawline the most. It would be optimal if I had some different picture angles of your face that had your chin more upward and not pointing down. But to provide some basic answers, some form of a jawline implant is needed. Whether this could be a done with a stock preformed implant or would be best done with a custom implant would require a little more in-depth information with some x-rays. At the minimum a panorex x-ray is needed, more ideally a 3D CT scan is best. That information will answer what type of implant is needed and how it would be done. Also, fat injections to fill out the overlying soft tissues is always needed as well as the facial asymmetry is caused by more than just a bone deficiency. Think of improving your facial asymmetry from the bony foundation underneath outward to the skin.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana