Buccal Fat Pad “Shield” Technique in Augmentation of the Midface

Abstract

The buccal fat pad (BFP) has been established as a valuable material in oral and maxillofacial surgery for the repair of cleft defects, oroantral communications, and coverage of osteonecrotic areas of the jaws. In esthetic surgery, bichectomy is a procedure that aims at BFP removal to better define and slim the midcheek area. In this article, an alternative application of the practical usage of the BFP in the esthetic maxillofacial surgery of the midface region, using custom cheek implants, is presented.