A well-defined jaw is synonymous with confidence, character and conviction. A weak jaw can put your face out of balance. If you have a weak jaw that creates an unbalanced appearance on your face, cosmetic jaw augmentation (also called mandibular augmentation) can help you. A well-defined jaw is a masculine trait, and women generally need less definition along their jaw line. But a woman still needs some definition to her jaw, and jaw implant surgery can help.

Jaw augmentation, or jaw implant surgery, is a cosmetic medical procedure in which implants are placed over the sides of the lower jawbone to make the jaw appear more prominent. This procedure can create a more defined jaw and a greater sense of balance in a face.

Although you may feel that your jaw is the problem, you may need other procedures to bring your face into a harmonious balance. Jaw implant surgery patients commonly need other procedures, such as chin augmentation, cheek augmentation, or a nose job. A board-certified cosmetic surgeon will be able to examine your facial structure to determine which procedures are the best choices to give you the face and jaw line you want.

Usually, jaw implants are inserted through incisions in the mouth on the inside of the cheek. However, if other procedures are being done, such as a face lift or other facial implants, your surgeon may use those incisions for insertion. If your jaw implants are put in place through the mouth, you will have some mouth pain and may have to eat a soft or liquid diet for a few days after surgery. Generally, the jaw implant surgery is done in a surgeon’s office or freestanding surgical clinic.

The implants used in jaw enhancement surgery are usually synthetic. Some surgeons use bone or cartilage taken from elsewhere in your body, but there can be a higher risk of infection with that kind of implant.

The type of synthetic implant used most often is made of solid silicone, a flexible substance that is widely used in medicine. Solid silicone implants cannot rupture or leak silicone into the body. Implants can also be made of polyethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), and an acellular dermal matrix product (Alloderm).  The implants come in different shapes and sizes or can be custom-made.

Jaw enhancement surgery can be done any time after the face has finished the bulk of its growth. For women, that would be age 18 or older, but for men, that might be a bit later. Your cosmetic surgeon can advise you whether you need to wait.

Are You A Candidate For Jaw Augmentation?

You need to think seriously before having any type of cosmetic jaw surgery. You should be in good overall health and free of any active diseases or conditions that could make it difficult to endure the surgery and recovery. If you have a history of bone disorders, you may not be a good candidate for jaw augmentation.

Healing after any facial surgery can be difficult and slow. It requires a great deal of patience and mental strength. You may be limited to soft foods and liquids for a few days.

You also should be mentally and emotionally prepared before you undergo a jaw augmentation with plastic surgery. If you are not in optimal mental and emotional health, the surgery and recovery could exacerbate pre-existing problems.

You must also have realistic expectations about the end results before undergoing jaw augmentation surgery. You should discuss in detail how you want to look with your plastic surgeon to ensure that your goals can be achieved through jaw augmentation surgery. You and your surgeon can look at before-and-after jaw surgery pictures to be sure you agree regarding the desired appearance.

If you use or have used Accutane, a drug to treat serious acne, you may be asked to wait 6 months before your surgery. Accutane can cause excessive bone growth that could complicate jaw augmentation surgery, and it can cause excessive scarring.

Health insurance will almost never cover the costs of jaw augmentation. This means that you will be responsible for the total cost, including the fees for any associated medical tests.

How Jaw Implants Are Performed
The surgery will take between 1 and 2 hours to complete. Other procedures, such as a rhinoplasty or face lift, can be done in conjunction with the jaw implant surgery, in which case the surgery will take longer.

There are several phases involved in the process of jaw augmentation including:

Preparation: During the preparation phase, your surgeon marks you with a permanent marker to indicate where the incisions will be made. You will also be scrubbed with an antimicrobial agent to reduce the risk of infection. You will be hooked up to an intravenous (IV) line and to monitors that will keep track of your heart rate.

Anesthesia: The subject of anesthesia should be thoroughly discussed by you and your surgeon before the surgery. Some surgeons like to use only a local anesthetic and a sedative if jaw augmentation is the only procedure being performed. Your face is numbed, and you will be very relaxed and even sleepy. However, if other procedures are being performed along with the jaw augmentation, your surgeon may recommend general anesthesia, where you sleep through the procedure.

Surgical Procedure: The surgical phase for a jaw augmentation begins after the anesthesia has been administered. After making an incision, your surgeon will create a pocket for the implant. The implant is inserted into that pocket and may be screwed or sutured onto the jawbone. The incisions are closed, and a dressing is applied to protect the incisions, keep the implant in place and reduce swelling.

Recovery: You will be awakened and moved to a recovery area where staff can monitor you for about 2 hours. At this time, you may feel pain, emotionally upset, nausea, or uncontrollable shivering. The staff can help you by supplying pain relievers, antinausea medications, warm blankets, and other assistance.

For useful information about a variety of cosmetic surgery topics, read this General
Cosmetic Surgery Information.

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