Chin Implants:
Becoming ever more popular, chin and cheek implants help restore what human beings naturally associate with beauty – facial symmetry. Both procedures are quick and easy but require a few weeks of recovery and liquid or soft food diets.
Facial symmetry or balance has long been associated with beauty. Researchers have found in a study that even babies who were shown photo images of different faces held their gaze longer on those individuals whose faces were more symmetrical, or rather, more in proportion than others. We, as human beings, are naturally attracted to this type of “beauty.”
Implants, such as those designed for the chin as well as cheek area, were designed to restore such facial balance. A smaller, more receded chin can be enhanced with chin implants, to be more in proportion with the rest of the face.
Chin implant surgery is fairly simple, where a small incision is made either inside the mouth or under the chin in a natural crease. Minimal time is actually needed to perform the procedure and recovery is fairly easy, with the initial downtime being 5 to 6 days, at which point, the patient will begin to feel more normal. A liquid diet is prescribed for the first 10 days.
Chin implants are made of soft silicone plastic such as Silastic. Proax and hydroxyapatite are other choices of plastic used in such implants.
Having become more popular over the past several decades, there are even chin implants for patients who desire a more “square” chin, such as those of models you see in magazines. A basic procedure involves placing implants in the shape of an “L” on either side of the jawbone.
Cheek Implants:
During the past several years, especially in light of the research and development of newer facelift procedures, drawing the skin taut without “filling” in the space underneath is something of the past. As faces age, the normal fat is lost in the cheek area and the skin begins to sag around the mouth. Cheek implants may restore a more youthful appearance by making the face look fuller and healthier.
Cheek implant surgery is performed under general anesthesia. The implants are inserted through incisions inside the mouth directly into pockets that Dr. Choucair creates during the surgery. Recovery involves a clear liquid and soft foods diet for about three to four weeks, treatment with internal antibiotics, minimal talking and laughing, and plenty of rest. Swelling is evident for up to three months, however, much of the inflammation will have decreased by the end of the first month.
