Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
Facial implants require a good deal of aftercare to ensure proper healing. Since there is swelling after the procedure, you will need to apply ice to the area, especially in the hours to days after the procedure. In most cases eating solid foods...
will be difficult to impossible. Most physicians will recommend a diet of only soft foods such as smoothies, shakes, warm soups, etc. until the face has healed somewhat. You may be required to change your own dressings and apply antibiotic and other ointments. It will not be possible to brush your teeth for several days after the surgery. Mouthwash is usually allowed however you should not vigorously move the mouthwash about your mouth or gargle. Also, if your implants were placed by making an incision in the inside of your mouth, using mouthwash may be quite painful.
will be difficult to impossible. Most physicians will recommend a diet of only soft foods such as smoothies, shakes, warm soups, etc. until the face has healed somewhat. You may be required to change your own dressings and apply antibiotic and other ointments. It will not be possible to brush your teeth for several days after the surgery. Mouthwash is usually allowed however you should not vigorously move the mouthwash about your mouth or gargle. Also, if your implants were placed by making an incision in the inside of your mouth, using mouthwash may be quite painful.
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It is important to avoid vigorous exercise for a few weeks after the surgery. Contact sports of any kind are obviously prohibited. Your surgeon may also recommend that you keep your head elevated during the recovery process, even at night.
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You will have an appointment at some point after the surgery so that the surgeon can view the result and examine you for any complications. She will be looking for malposition of the implant, hematoma (large collection of blood), and extrusion as well as overall aesthetic improvement.
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Facial implants are designed for augmentative, reconstructive or rejuvenative purposes. Available in a wide range of sizes and styles for the chin, jaw, nose and cheek, implants add or restore contour and/or proportion to the face.
The procedure follows a similar pattern for all facial areas. The surgeon makes a small incision near where the implant will be placed, either in a crease or inside the mouth at the gum/lip junction. Then a pocket is made in the facial tissue, the implant inserted, and the incision is stitched. The process generally takes 1-2 hours, usually with general anesthesia. The incision is bandaged or taped, and stitches are removed in 5-10 days (sutures placed inside the mouth will dissolve in a similar period of time). Sometimes facial implants are inserted at the same time as a facelift, nose or eyelid procedure is performed.
From http://www.surgery.org/public/procedures/facial_implants
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