Cheek Implant Revision

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in cheek implant revision surgery. I would also like to ask you if you think I could change my submalar cheek implants out for a malar implant or combo one? I wanted the high cheek bone look not the heavy mid face cheekbones. I’ve had to compensate by using a lot of fillers. I know you use many different styles of cheek implants that you have designed. Some of them look like they augment my cheek area that I want augmented. Are they silicone? What is the difference between this and Implantech Terino shell? Do you use screws and how long would I have to stay in town if I had you perform this procedure? Lastly, can it be done with sedation not general? Sorry for all of the questions.

A: These are silicone cheek implants that differ from malar shell cheek implants by having an infraorbital and zygomatic arch extension, creating a higher and ore model like cheek look. A single microscrew is usually placed through the implant at the maxillary posterior buttress bone for assured stability in the easily healing phase while the implant pocket is forming. This is a facial augmentative procedure that can be done under a deeper form of IV sedation. However the anesthesia needs to be adequate enough to allow for the proper implant pocket creation and placement.