Medpor Jaw Angle Implant Revision

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in a Medpor jaw angle implant revision. Three years ago I had an operation to improve my jawline using Medpor implants. After the surgery i noticed a degree of asymmetry in lateral projection of my right jaw angle. Recently I went through a 3D CT scan to determine the source of this issue and the doctor stated my masseter muscles are not symmetrical and specifically the right jaw muscle is 1-1.5 mm thinner. I would like to know if I can fix this problem by removing the current Medpor implant on my right jaw angle and replacing it with another implant which can increase the lateral projection of my right jaw and consequently remove the asymmetry between my jaws.Thank you in advance and I will look forward to hearing from you.

A: Thank you for your inquiry and detailing your surgical history. While your indwelling Medpor jaw angle implant can be removed and replaced, the initial critical question is whether this is a true muscle asymmetry problem or one related to the implants. I assume you know this answer because you have seen the scan yourself and you have visual assurance that the implants are perfectly positioned and are not the underlying culprit of the asymmetry.

For the sake of discussion there are numerous ways to do a Medpor jaw angle implant revision for a mild jaw angle asymmetry of 1 to 1.5mms, regardless of whether it is of muscle or implant origin, which would not include having to remove and replace the entire implant. An implant overlay can be placed on top of the existing implant which would be far less traumatic to undergo. Of course the complete implant can also be removed and replaced as well.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana