How Well Do Cheek Implants Work?

Q: Dr. Eppley, does cheek bone augmentation work?

A: On the surface this seems like an unusual question. Cheek bone augmentation with implants has been around for nearly thirty years. Next to chin implants, cheek implants are the most common facial implant performed. (this has a lot to do with that there are two cheeks but one chin) It is a very straightforward procedure to do because they are placed through a small incision high up under the lip. There is very little muscle and tissues to dissect through and there are no important structures, such as nerves, that are in the path of implant placement up across the zygomatic prominence and onto the zygomatic arch. . From that standpoint, it is a very successful facial augmentation procedure. But cheek implants are prone to complications, most of which are aesthetic in nature. Getting the right style and size of cheek implant can be challenging and their symmetrical placement is not always easy or assured. This can lead to the need for cheek implant revision…which could lead one to believe that they don’t ‘work well’.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana