Can Jawline Implants Sustain Severe Forces (Trauma) Without Causing A Problem?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have some questions about jawline implants. I work in extreme environments overseas and, in addition, my group trains in hand-to-hand combat as well as boxes. Would I be able to take blunt force to the implants as well as I can without any implants? 

A: Obviously you are in the military. That is a good question and, quite frankly, is pertinent to any procedure that you would have done on the chin or jawline that involved any form of an implant. I have had patients who have had chin implants before that boxed afterwards and did not have a problem. I have also had other males in the military who have had chin and jaw angle implants. But I can’t say that I have had a similar situation with full jawline implants. I suspect it would not be a problem but I have not yet run across this situation yet. In other words, if the entire jawline was an implant (two-piece that it would be) could it sustain blunt force to it without causing a problem of displacement? I suspect that they would be fine since I always screw facial implants to the underlying bone. If the force is enough to fracture the lower jaw that is another issue but then surgery is going to be needed anyway. It is also possible in this scenario that the implants may have a protective force, like a bumper, and prevent the bone fracture from occurring. That is a conjecture, of course, but not an unreasonable one.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana