Cheek augmentation surgery intends to emphasize the cheeks on a person’s face. To define the cheeks, a silicon implant is inserted over the cheekbone. There are three main shapes of cheek implants: malar, submalar or combined. Malar implants, the most common shape, are placed directly on the cheekbones. The result is more projection to the cheekbones with a higher contour to the side of the face. In contrast, submalar implants are not placed on the cheekbones. They are intended to augment the midface, especially if the person has a gaunt or sunken appearance to this area.
The incision is made in the upper mouth near the top of the gum line and the implants are inserted into place. Cheek implant surgery is usually performed under sedation or general anesthetic and takes about one to two hours. Recovery from this surgery usually takes about ten days.