Cheek Implants

Q: Dr. Eppley, I want to get cheek implants, a sliding genioplasty and jaw angle reduction.My question is that I have just had maxilla advancement jaw surgery (LeFort 1 osteotomy) one months ago. Only the maxilla was moved forward. The mandible was not moved. How long is necessary to wait before I can come see you to get these surgery procedures done? I worry the maxilla may be banged in the surgery or after 4 weeks is this not a problem?

A: Since you just had a LeFort 1 osteotomy just four weeks ago, I would wait a full 8 weeks before doing any surgery that would involve re-entering the surgical site (cheek implants) This is not because the maxilla has any change to be displaced. (it is undoubtably rigidly secured into place with plates and screws) but because you want all the swelling to get out of the cheeks so you have a good idea when placing cheek implants so that the style and size of the implants could be best judged. As it relates to the mandibular procedures (sliding genioplasty and jaw angle reduction) the previous LeFort 1 osteotomy has no impact on their execution and vice versa. But waiting until all facial swelling has resolved is still worthy of the wait.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana