Abstract
The facial implant is made of silicone and has a grid of horizontal and vertical grooves on a concave bone-facing rear surface. The grid pattern of grooves imparts flexibility to the implant to facilitate implantation. In addition, the grooves provide for ingrowth of tissue as well as providing reference marks to facilitate implantation of a pair of mirror-image facial implants in a symmetrical manner. The groove depth may be in a range of from 0.5 to 1 millimeter and may also be of variable depth relative to the cross-sectional thickness of the body.
Filing date: Feb 13, 1997
Issue date: Mar 2, 1999
Inventor: G. William Arnett
Assignee: Implantech Associates
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What is claimed is:
1. A facial implant for reconstructive and cosmetic surgery comprising
- a one piece body molded into a desired shape to augment facial contours, said body having a concave bone facing rear surface and a convex front surface; and
- a grid pattern in said rear surface having horizontal and vertical grooves defining a pattern of square surfaces and imparting flexibility to said body.
2. A facial implant as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said groove is of a constant depth in a range of from 0.5 to 1 millimeter.
3. A facial implant as set forth in claim 1 wherein each groove has a depth of from 2 to 3 millimeters.
4. A facial implant as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body has a variable cross-sectional thickness and at least some of said grooves have a depth proportional to said cross-sectional thickness of said body.
5. A facial implant as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said grooves has a variable depth of between 2 and 3 millimeters.
6. A facial implant as set forth in claim 1 wherein said grooves are spaced apart a distance of 2 to 3 millimeters and have a width of 0.5 to 1 millimeters.
7. A facial implant as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is of greater height at one end than the opposite end thereof.
8. A facial implant as set forth in claim 7 said body tapers to a thin feather edge at said opposite end.
9. A facial implant for reconstructive and cosmetic surgery comprising
- a one piece body of silicone molded into a desired shape to augment facial contours, said body having a concave bone-facing rear surface and a convex front surface; and
- a grid pattern of crossing grooves in said rear surface for ingrowth of tissue, said grooves imparting flexibility to said body.
10. An implant as set forth in claim 9 wherein each said groove is of a constant depth in a range of from 0.5 to 1 millimeter.
11. An implant as set forth in claim 9 wherein said body has a variable cross-sectional thickness and at least some of said grooves have a depth proportional to said cross-sectional thickness of said body.
12. An implant as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of said grooves has a variable depth of between 2 and 3 millimeters.
13. An implant as set forth in claim 9 wherein said grooves are spaced apart a distance of 2 to 3 millimeters and have a width of 0.5 to 1 millimeters.
14. A pair of mirror-image facial implants for reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, each implant comprising
- a one-piece body molded into a desired shape to augment facial contours, said body having a concave bone-facing rear surface and a convex front surface; and
- a grid pattern of grooves in said rear surface to impart flexibility to said body having horizontal and vertical grooves defining a pattern of square surfaces, wherein said horizontal and vertical grooves provide reference marks for bilateral positioning of said pair of implants in symmetrical relation.
15. A pair of implants as set forth in claim 14 wherein each said groove is of a constant depth in a range of from 0.5 to 1 millimeter.
16. A pair of implants as set forth in claim 14 wherein said body has a variable cross-sectional thickness and at least some of said grooves have a depth proportional to said cross-sectional thickness of said body.
17. A pair of implants as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of said grooves has a variable depth of between 2 and 3 millimeters.
18. A pair of implants as set forth in claim 14 wherein said grooves are spaced apart a distance of 2 to 3 millimeters and have a width of 0.5 to 1 millimeters.