Does A Custom Wrap Around Jawline Implant Feel Like Bone?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have a couple of questions about wrap around jawline implants: 

1) I’ve read that silicone may not resemble bone very well. This seems to make some sense given how soft and bendable it is. After being inserted, does it look and feel like actual bone? 

2) how predictable is the sizing of the implant relative to the outcome? Can scar tissue severely alter the width of the jawline relative to what is assumed from the implant size? 

Thank you

A :In answer to your custom wrap around jawline implant questions:

1) Implants make of silicone may be bendable but they are not soft., When placed on bone they will feel just like bone. Anyone that says otherwise simply lacks adequate knowledge of bionmaterial properties.

2) While this is a good question, it is actually the wrong question. All implanted materials in the body form a layer of scar tissue around it which has no influence on its external appearance. The real question is what are the dimensional requirements of an implant in any patient that can come closest to achieving their aesthetic goals given their anatomy and thickness of overlying tissue? Since there is no mathematical or computerized method to make that exact determination how are the implant’s dimensions determined? These are estimated decisions made between the patient and the surgeon with the understanding that all one can do is make the best guess possible for all the implant dimensions.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana