Cheek implants are used to provide more fullness over the cheekbones. They are usually done from inside the mouth where an incision is made and tissue is elevated from the bone. Medical grade implants are then placed over the bony contours to provide more prominence of the cheekbones. This oftentimes provides more of an “almond” shaped face and oftentimes can be used to decrease the depth of the buccolabial folds (the groove between the nose and the corner of the mouth). There is a nerve which runs underneath the eye and supplies sensation to the cheek and upper lip. It is not uncommon for this to be bruised or affected by the swelling following this surgery. This is usually only temporary. There are also small muscles and nerves which provide movement to the face and help to elevate the mouth which results in our smile. If there is considerable swelling or stretching of the tissues when the implant is placed, this can provide swelling or bruising of the nerves and muscles which affects the facial movement (the seventh cranial nerve or facial nerve) which can result in some dysfunction. This is less common than the numbness previously described. Both are usually temporary.
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