Is It Safe To Have Infraorbital Rim Implants Placed From Inside The Mouth?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’ve read online that you do infraorbital rim implants. I’m really sorry to trouble you, but I have a concern regarding my upcoming procedure with these implants. Basically, my doctor has informed me that he will be using an intraoral approach for the Medpor Extended Orbital Rim implants, but every resource I’ve seen has said that the implants are placed through an eyelid incision. Do you think an intraoral approach is possible, and will the results be affected by using it? Should I at all be concerned that he isn’t going to use the eyelid incision?

A: The placement of infraorbital rim implants can be done either through an eyelid or an intraoral approach. Both are acceptable approaches and which one is done is based on surgeon preference. It is a little easier to assure good implant position on the bone from above (eyelid incision) as one does not have to work around the large infraorbital nerve. But an infraorbital implant can be effectively placed from inside the mouth, it is just a little more technically challenging to do so and the risk of some protracted lip numbness from infraorbital nerve traction will occur.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana