Facial Implants
Well-defined facial features are a mark of physical beauty and are, in large measure, due to a patient's underlying facial skeletal structures. Enhancing your chin or cheeks can provide a more defined and attractive appearance without making you look like a different person. Facial implants such as a chin implant from Charlotte, NC facial plastic surgeon Dr. M. Sean Freeman can create remarkable changes by adding balance and definition to underdeveloped features.
Patients who choose Dr. Freeman at The Center for Facial Plastic and Laser Surgery are choosing a physician who has specialized in lasers and facial cosmetic surgery since 1988. At The Center for Facial Plastic and Laser Surgery, our motto is "Only Faces, Only the Best Care." To learn how Dr. Freeman delivers high quality care for his facial implant patients, you can request your consultation online to receive $25 off your consultation fee or call his office at 704-543-1110.
Manufactured from a variety of materials, facial implants of various sizes and shapes are available to augment the cheeks and chin. Dr. Freeman generally uses implants that are made from silastic, which have a long history of safety. Depending upon the patient and the procedure performed you may need to be sedated for the surgery, although local anesthesia may be satisfactory. In most cases, facial implant surgery is performed in our state-of-the-art office operating suite.
Before Surgery
Depending upon the recommended procedure, an incision may be made inside your mouth or under your chin. When incisions are made inside your mouth, it is important to inform Dr. Freeman if you smoke or if you have dental or gum problems. For all implant procedures, you will be instructed to take oral antibiotics before and after surgery to help protect you from infection.
Chin Implants (Mentoplasty)
Dr. Freeman may recommend chin augmentation surgery in addition to facelift surgery or rhinoplasty for his Charlotte, North Carolina patients when it is clear that a chin implant will add to facial balance and harmony. Many patients will simply have a chin implant, perhaps with some minor neck surgery to achieve optimal results.
Chin implant surgery usually takes less than an hour. During the procedure, the chin implant (which is pre-selected according to your needs) is inserted into a pocket created on the bone. The incision is well camouflaged under your chin. Your sutures will be removed 5 to 6 days later.
Swelling and bruising may be visible around the chin and neck for usually about a week to ten days. During that time, you may notice some stiffness during smiling and talking; this will resolve with time. The vast majority of patients heals quickly and returns to normal activities within a week.
Cheek Implants (Malar Augmentation)
Many people find that having cheek implant surgery helps to restore a more youthful appearance, especially for mature patients who have noted a hollow look in the mid-face due to aging. For these patients, cheek implants can improve the contour of the mid-face and restore sagging tissues. Younger patients who have weak cheekbones find that the procedure gives them a more attractive appearance by improving the 3D facial structure of the midface, leading to harmony of the patient's facial form.
Cheek implants come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The one that is right for you will be determined during your consultation. We even have the ability to custom fit them, though this is rarely necessary.
After your surgery, movement of your mouth and lips will be limited for a period of time. Swelling and bruising that is noticeable to other people will usually last about a week to ten days.
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Surgical Procedures
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Dr. Freeman has specialized in Facial Aesthetic Surgery since 1988 and is one of the few double board certified & fellowship trained surgical specialists in the Southeast with this level of experience and training.