How Is The Custom Jawline Implant Process Done For International Patients?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m highly interested in the custom jaw implant or the standard mandibular and chin implants, respectively. I have a few questions about surgery. 

1) I found prices for the custom jaw implant online (roughly $15,000). What is included in this price? Only the implant(s) and the surgery or also the appointments before surgery? 

2) What is the standard procedure for international patients? Do we have to come for several visits over the course of a couple of months or is there a possibility of a “fast track” for the surgery (meaning that we have several appointments + surgery + check up within a tighter time frame so we don’t need to fly back and forth)? And will I be able to fly home a couple of days after surgery? 

3) What is the general down time after the jaw implant placement? I know that swelling will last for several months but when will I be able to speak / eat again fairly normally? 

4) Due to Covid and travel restrictions, I suppose that it will be unlikely to make an appointment for surgery this year. I am aware that before agreeing to surgery, we will have an online consultation etc.. But I would like to know how long in advance I need to book a surgery date? 

Thanks in advance for your response.

A: Thank you for your inquiry. In answer to your questions:

1) My assistant Camille will pass along the cost of the surgery to you.

2) The entire preoperative consultation/implant design process is done virtually based on a 3D CT scan you can get in your country. You only come over here once, for the surgery, when we meet in person the day before the surgery. All followups are also done virtually. This is how almost all national and international patients perfer to go through the process. But all patients have the option to also proceed in a more traditional face to face manner if their travel schedule so permits.

3) Patients can speak normally immediately after the surgery. One is advised to stay on a liquid/softer diet for the first 30 days after surgery until the intraoral incisions are more fully healed.

4) COVID has not affected our surgery center or patients undergoing surgery. We have been fully operational since May 1, 2020. We do require patients to have a negative COVID test within the week prior to their surgery.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana