Often overlooked in facial beautification and rejuvenation is the importance of facial proportions. While everyone possesses a certain amount of facial asymmetry, the balance of the facial features is crucial to what we believe is aesthetically appealing. It is important to note that not just one nose, mouth, eye, or ear makes someone beautiful; however, it is the way in which each facial feature complements the others. The ability of facial implants to restore facial proportion and create aesthetically pleasing contours and definition has made them increasingly popular in contemporary plastic surgery.

Cheek Implant Surgery

For patients who wish to improve volume loss or create greater definition to their cheeks, cheek implants are an excellent option. The implant provides the necessary infrastructure under to create natural contours without leaving the skin looking puffy or swollen. Similarly, the aging process can leave certain patients with sunken cheeks and wrinkly skin in the cheek area, both of which can be improved with cheek implants.

Cheek Implant Techniques

Dr. Yang inserts the cheek prosthesis using a sub-labial incision inside the mouth where the gums meet the inside of the lips. Using this type of incision, the procedure is virtually undetectable after the swelling is gone after surgery.

Chin Implant Surgery (Mentoplasty)

Many patients who wish to define their jaw line and create a more angular neck profile assume that removing fat or a more invasive necklift is their only option. However, the emergence of chin implant surgery, or chin augmentation, has revolutionized facial implant surgery. Not only can chin implants provide chin and jaw definition, a chin implant can balance other facial features such as a prominent nose and create more distinct facial contours for individuals with a round face and neck.

Rhinoplasty patients often elect to have the chin implant procedure simultaneously to create a more defined, yet natural appearance of both the chin and nose. Similarly, chin augmentation can be combined with neck liposuction (submental liposuction) to create further definition of the chin and neck, and to reduce the appearance of the “turkey wattle.” Chin implant surgery is also done in addition to facelift and necklifts to enhance the facial contours following a facial rejuvenation procedure. By adding volume to the chin, more youthful contours are created that balance the results from a facelift or necklift.

Chin Implant Techniques

The chin implant procedure is a short, minimally invasive procedure done under local anesthesia. Dr. Yang uses two different techniques depending on the patients wishes and the type of chin implant being used. Transoral Implantation involves making small incisions inside the mouth and sliding the implant in front of the jaw bone. The second technique used by Dr. Yang is Submental Chin Augmentation, which involves making a small incision under the chin and positioning the implant in front of the jaw-bone.

The implants used by Dr. Yang range in size and shape and are further shaved and shaped during surgery to match the patient’s own facial structure and anatomy. (add more!)

Both the Transoral Implantation and the Submental Chin Augmentation are short, minimally invasive techniques that require minimal recovery time (5-6 days) and usually allow the patient to return to work in 7 days. The transoral technique requires no suture removal after surgery as the sutures in the mouth dissolve within 1 week. The submental technique requires the sutures under the chin to be removed by Dr. Yang 1 week after surgery.