Can I See My 3D Modeling How My Implants Would Look On Me Before Surgery?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Can I see how custom facial implant designs would look on me by 3D modeling before my surgery?

A: While implants are designed using the patient’s 3D CT scan there is no accurate 3D modeling of the potential changes that may occur in any implant design. That is a common misconception about custom implants. No one has ever established a database to create these predictions accurately. These can not be extrapolated from cephalometrics, facial proportions or any imaging program.

As a result you use the patient’s desired Photoshopped/imaged changes and create an implant’s footprint and its dimensions based on experience.

But yes all such work can be done virtually and that is always how I do it.

Dr Barry Eppley

World Renowned Plastic Surgeon