Facial Implants - cheeks, chin, jaw

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Breast implants at least in the US come in only 2 forms, a silicone (plastic like shell) containing either salt water or silicone gel (a mollases or jello thick substance). Facial implants for bone augmentation come in greater variety of materials - silicone, goretex and porex medpor. The first 2 do not develop tissue ingrowth by surrounding tissue, thus they are easier to remove at a future date should the need arise. However they can also shift in position at any future date since there is little or no ingrown tissue to keep them in place. Porex Medpor does develop tissue ingrowth or incorporation thus the potential for shifting or infection are much less at a future date. In the absence of infection porex implants are fixed in position within a few weeks after placement by this ingrowth. Those patients with silicone or goretex need to take antibiotics prior to any dental procedure while porex patients do not. This is because the body does not treat incorporated ingrown implants as foreign bodies.

SKIN INFECTIONS

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Over the last 10 to 20 years there have been increasing changes in the bacteria normally present on the skin surface. They are becoming resistant to antibiotics (methicillin resistant Staph Aureus - MRSA) & this resistance as well as the problems they cause are different than what is seen with bacteria that become resistant from exposure to medications in hospitals. You can think of this as an infection from yourself vs. an infection that comes from someone else or some surface contact (door knobs, tables etc). The flesh eating bacteria that has been mentioned in the media is due to bacteria that produce a chemical that kills tissue at deeper as well as superficial levels. These bacteria may or may not be antibiotic resistant. If caught early enough all are easily treated.