Dr. Zelken offers Custom PEEK Facial Implants | Why This Matters

Although he has offered custom implants for years, the process is constrained by the expense and logistical challenges of designing, ordering, and receiving a custom-made implant. The implants typically used in the custom arena are made of silicone, the same material used in prefabricated, off-the-shelf devices. Because off-the-shelf devices can be far less expensive, are readily available, and generally arrive at our doorstep a day or 2 after they are ordered, these have been (and remain) the preferred solution for the majority of patients treated by Dr. Zelken. Chin and paranasal implants seldom require screw fixation and can be placed under near direct visualization. Because they are made from malleable silicone, incisions are generally shorter than what is required for plastic devices, such as those made with Medpor or polyether ether ketone (PEEK). Although these prefabricated devices have smooth surfaces, they can easily conform to the complex topography of the underlying bone. They can be crafted with a knife to "customize" them in real time. They are the industry standard for facial implants. However, there are important limitations to these devices as well.

Dr. Zelken believes that custom implants are favorable for jaw angle and mid-facial augmentation applications. Jaw angle implants are placed in a difficult anatomic region with generally poor visualization. For this reason, patient dissatisfaction rates have been historically high due to implant malposition and unpredictability. This keeps many surgeons away from offering jaw-angle implants. Dr. Zelken is comfortable with this area after years of facial reconstruction surgery and extensive training in craniofacial surgery. His experience allows him to recognize the unusually complicated topography of this region and its variability both within and amongst patients. Off-the-shelf implants designed to lengthen and widen the jaw angles are designed to conform to these anatomic intricacies but may fail to do so in practice.

Dr. Zelken recently teamed up with a firm that is willing to fabricate PEEK implants for jaw angle, chin, and mid-facial enhancement. These devices will be designed to be segmented into smaller pieces to keep incisions small and are fixated with small titanium screws. PEEK implants are firmer, similar to the bone they augment, and have a longstanding track record of success and biocompatibility. In fact, the first craniofacial implants Dr. Zelken ever used or PEEK implants designed for cranioplasty patients. Few surgeons in this country are offering custom facial implants made of peek and Dr. Zelken is very proud to be one of them. If you are interested in facial enhancement using these custom facial implants, please reach out for a consultation.



#PlasticSurgery #FacialImplants #CosmeticSurgery