Jaw Implant Revision

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have been reading a lot of your posts online. It seems like you have a lot of knowledge when it comes to facial implants. I am interested in jaw implant revision.

I had silicone chin and jaw angle implants sic weeks ago and I went too small. I want bigger all around. My surgeon says to wait another two months to see if I like it and if I don’t like it he’ll do a revision… I don’t know if I want to wait that long if I don’t absolutely have to. 

My questions to you are the following:

1. How long do you think I need to wait before I can get them replaced with bigger dimensions

2. Is there any physical reason why I can’t replace them now ? Like do I need to wait for scarring / healing or anything like that?

3. What will the recovery be like since it’s a revision and the tissues and muscles have already been distributed and will go through all of that again. Will the healing/swelling be more or less than the first time?

4. He used screw fixation. Is that going to be a problem to unscrew and then re screw?

Thank you for your time

A: In answer to your jaw implant revision questions:

1)Three months is the require time to wait for performing almost any facial implant revision. The tissues must be allowed to heal fully and the patient needs adequate to fully appreciate the results.
2) Your incisions are not zippers, they can not be opened and closed in close intervals and expect them to heal normally. Adverse incisional healing over an implant can result in loss of the implant.
3) Many facial implant replacements, particularly if the implants are bigger, have a recovery that is just like the first time and even more so.
4) Implants can easily unscrewed and removed.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana