Oral Surgery

Cosmetic Fillers

What is an injectable filler?

Fillers are biocompatible substances that are used to augment or replenish volume in areas where it has been lost, or where more fullness is desired. The vast majority of filler injections are with hyaluronic acid, a substance that is already present in our own bodies.

What areas can be addressed at Mid-Maine Oral Surgery?

While you may see fillers being used by other providers to change facial skeletal structure, this is not the goal at Mid-Maine Oral Surgery as this may be better accomplished with facial implants. Currently at MMOS we use Juvederm to perform lip augmentation and wrinkle reduction. By injecting the filler substance in appropriate planes within the lips one can achieve enhanced volume, pout, and definition. Similarly, injecting filler deep to a wrinkle can flatten the surface of the skin.

Are the effects permanent?

The effect of hyaluronic acid fillers can last anywhere from 6-12 months depending on the volume and the tissue injected. The lips are a mobile structure that move with speaking, eating, and daily activities. Tissues that move typically cause the substance to go away more quickly than when it is injected into static structures.

What to expect?

Depending on the area to be injected, your provider can perform local anesthetic blocks to make the injection of the filler painless. Several fillers are now combined with local anesthesia, making the early post-operative period more pleasant. The procedure commonly lasts 15-30 minutes based on the areas addressed.

Visit our Instagram to see images of patients before and after their cosmetic treatment!
mid.maineoralsurgery

What can go wrong?

Generally, it is better to be undertreated than overtreated. It is not uncommon to have a supplemental injection after a week or two if your desired look wasn’t achieved, especially if it is your first time having the procedure. In the event that you do not like your result, the dissolution of the filler substance can be expedited with injection of an enzyme at a follow-up visit. There may be some lumpiness early on. Immediately following injection your provider will massage the area to smooth the area and better ensure the substance gets to the desired areas. Your body will also soften the lumpiness over the early post-operative period.

Significant bruising is not common, but not unheard of. Injection into blood vessels has been reported, but safe practices such as aspiration before depositing the filler substance have almost eliminated this risk.

Following treatment

Following your treatment you can continue your regular routine, but you should avoid strenuous activity for 24 hours. Be cautious to avoid touching your face after treatment to avoid massaging the gel into unintended areas.