Can Implants Help Correct My Facial Asymmetry?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in correcting the asymmetry of my face. The right side of it, particularly in the jaw angle area, is tilted upwards and shorter. I have read that a jaw angle implant may be able to correct this tilt.Would this implant make the right side look closer to the left and would I feel the difference? Would a cheek implant help along with the mandibular angle implant to even out the balance? I don’t want the right looking more full and balanced then the left.  Would braces help fix or improve the jaw tilt/angle?

A: In the ideal correction of facial asymmetry, it rarely is just one facial area that is shorter or asymmetric. In most cases of facial asymmetry, the entire side of that face is shorter. For this reason, jaw angle and cheek implants together are often done and produce the greatest amount of facial lengthening and correction of the shorter side.

Braces change how the teeth fit together but will not change the tilt of the jawline.

The goal of facial asymmetry correction with facial implants, the most common treatment method, is to try and get the best match between the two sides as possible. While perfect symmetry is never possible, the closer the two match the better. In the spirit of that goal, it is always better to be slightly less full than too full when deciding about implant sizes.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana