Breast Implant Choices

If you decide to have breast augmentation, you also will need to decide what kind of breast implant will help you and your physician achieve the result you want. Breast implants are made in a variety of shapes and sizes. Prior to surgery, you and your physician will discuss the implant size; shape and surface that are most appropriate for you. Please refer to our breast augmentation products section for a complete listing of Mentor breast implants.

Breast Implant Defined

A breast implant is a sac (implant shell) of silicone, a rubber-like substance that is surgically implanted under your chest tissue. There are two basic types of breast implants:

Saline Filled Breast Implants

The saline breast implant is inflated with a saline (salt-water) solution through a valve. Saline is much like the fluid that makes up most of the human body. There are two types/families of Mentor implants filled with saline — one referred to as saline filled and the other referred to as Spectrum™ breast implants. The saline filled family of breast implants has a self-sealing valve located on the front (anterior) of the implant that is used for filling the device. The Spectrum™ family of breast implants have a valve on the back (posterior) of the implant that allows saline to be added after surgery (postoperative adjustability). Mentor's Spectrum implant is a saline breast implant that lets your physician adjust the size of your breasts after your breast augmentation surgery. In a simple office procedure, your physician can change your implant size by either adding or removing saline for up to six months after your surgery.

 

Breast Implant Size

For many patients, deciding what breast size they want can be the most difficult part about choosing breast augmentation. Generally, the larger you want your cup size to be, the larger the implant your surgeon will consider using. Your surgeon will evaluate your existing breast tissue to determine if you have enough tissue to accommodate the desired size of breast implant.

If you desire a breast implant that is too large for your tissue, the breast implant's edges may be visible through your skin after your operation or the implant may be more easily felt. By choosing an implant that is too large for your tissue, you may increase the risk of having surgical complications. Also, breast implants that are excessive in size may increase the effects of gravity on your body, which may cause your breasts to prematurely droop or sag.

Adjustable Breast Implants

Mentor's Spectrum^® saline breast implant helps eliminate the problem of choosing the exact size implant you want before your surgery. The Spectrum implant is a saline- filled breast implant with a removable fill-tube that lets your physician adjust the size of your breasts after your surgery. In a simple office procedure, your physician can change your implant size by either adding or removing saline for up to six months after your surgery.

Breast Implant Shape

Mentor breast implants come in either round or contoured shapes. When contoured implants are placed under the chest muscle they may assume a round shape after implantation. Together you and your physician will select the option that is best for you, and most likely to achieve the result you desire.

Breast Implant Surfaces

Breast implant shells have a smooth or textured surface. As a natural reaction to any device placed in the body, scar tissue, will form around the breast implant surface creating a capsule. In some women, the capsule can tighten and squeeze the implant. This occurrence is called capsular contracture.

Textured-surface implants were designed to reduce the chance of capsular contracture. Some information in the literature on small numbers of patients suggests that surface texturing reduces the chance of severe capsular contracture, but clinical information from studies of a large number of women with Mentor implants shows no difference in the likelihood of developing capsular contracture with textured implants compared to smooth-surfaced implants.

Choosing the implant surface that is right for you should be discussed with your physician.

Breast Implant Materials

Breast implants are made with silicone elastomer (rubber). The silicone elastomer (rubber) contains the following substances: (1) small amounts (parts per million) of various smaller silicones; 2) small amounts (50 - 100 parts per million) of metals like tin and platinum and very trace amounts of other metals; 3) trace amounts of volatile materials like xylene and other organic compounds; and 4) considerable amounts (approximately 20 parts per hundred) of finely powdered silica that is tightly bound to the silicone rubber pouch.