A patient specific titanium implant is designed from the patient’s own scan and manufactured to fit one particular defect. It is used where a standard plate or mesh cannot reproduce the contour that has been lost.
A patient specific titanium implant is made for one person from their own CT scan. Engineers design it with the surgeon, and it is then milled or printed from medical grade titanium so it seats on the surrounding bone in a single position. Because it matches the anatomy, less shaping is needed in theatre than with a standard plate bent by hand.
Standard plates and meshes are shaped by the surgeon during the operation, bent against the bone until they sit reasonably well. That works in many situations. Where a large area of contour has been lost, however, hand bending takes time under anaesthetic and cannot always recreate a natural curve. A custom implant approaches the problem differently by producing the shape before surgery begins.
Design starts from a fine cut CT scan. The defect is modelled and, where one side of the face or skull is intact, its mirror image is often used as a reference for the missing contour. The surgeon reviews the proposed shape, thickness, screw positions and edges with the engineer, and changes are made until it is agreed. The implant is then milled from a solid block of medical grade titanium or built up in layers, and it is cleaned, finished and sterilised before delivery.
In theatre the bone edges are prepared and the implant is seated. Because it is shaped to that anatomy, it usually fits in one position and is fixed with screws. Soft tissue cover over the implant matters as much as the implant itself, since thin or scarred tissue over any hard device can break down.
A custom implant is chosen when contour and support have to be restored precisely and healthy tissue can cover the device. Where those conditions are absent, bone or tissue reconstruction is the safer option.
A fine cut CT scan is converted into a 3D model of the defect. Where the opposite side is intact, it is mirrored to give a reference for the contour that has been lost.
The surgeon and engineer agree the shape, thickness, edge profile and screw positions. Edges are kept smooth and set back from thin skin so they do not become prominent later.
The implant is milled or built in layers from medical grade titanium, then finished, cleaned and sterilised. A trial model is often supplied alongside it for reference.
In theatre the defect edges are exposed and cleared of scar and soft tissue so the implant can seat directly on bone at every contact point.
The implant is placed, checked for fit and symmetry, and secured with screws. Healthy tissue is then closed over it in layers without tension on the wound.
Swelling and bruising are at their height, particularly around the eye and cheek in facial cases. Pain is managed with prescribed medication and the head is kept elevated.
Stitches are removed and swelling begins to settle. The contour looks better as it does, though the final shape is not yet apparent at this stage.
Most swelling has resolved and the implant contour is clearly visible. Normal activity resumes, while contact sport and heavy exertion usually wait longer.
Soft tissue settles fully over the implant and scars fade. Long term review continues, since implants are watched for exposure or infection over the years.
A well designed implant usually restores contour convincingly, and symmetry with the opposite side is often good. Even so, the final appearance depends on the soft tissue over it, which can be thin, scarred or swollen for months. Implant edges are occasionally felt or seen in areas with little tissue cover. Titanium does not grow with the patient, and revision may be needed years later if the site changes or the implant becomes exposed.
Any implanted device carries risks that continue beyond the recovery period, so long term review matters here more than in soft tissue surgery.
There is no donor site with a custom implant, so care focuses on the wound over the device and on protecting the area while soft tissue settles.
Symmetry usually improves, but faces are never identical to begin with. Soft tissue thickness and swelling also affect what is seen from outside.
Surgical titanium implants rarely cause problems at security. Your team can provide an implant card if you would like documentation to carry.
Implants are reviewed long term. Skin thinning, exposure or late infection can occur years later and are treated more easily when reported early.
Not always. Living bone integrates and remodels, and in some sites it remains the more durable choice. The decision depends on the defect and the tissue around it.
At Elegance Clinic in Surat, custom implants are recommended when the defect and the soft tissue cover genuinely suit them. Dr. Ashutosh Shah discusses the alternative of using the patient’s own bone before a custom device is ordered.
Technique pages do not carry their own price, because the cost depends on the treatment the technique is used within. The implant itself, its design and its manufacture form one part of the estimate for the reconstruction, alongside surgery, anaesthesia and hospital stay. Please see the relevant treatment page and ask for a written estimate at consultation.
These are the questions that come up most often in consultation. If yours is not here, send it on WhatsApp and the team will reply, usually the same day.
Ask your question →Because each one is designed from an individual scan and manufactured for a single patient. Modelling time, engineering review and machining all add to the price. The full amount is set out in the written estimate for your reconstruction.
Design review and manufacture take a number of weeks, which is why surgery is scheduled around them. Urgent cases usually proceed with standard plates instead, since waiting would not be in the patient’s interest.
Titanium is widely used in surgery and is well tolerated by bone and soft tissue. Allergic reaction is very uncommon. The main long term concerns are infection and skin thinning over the implant rather than the metal itself.
Most stay in place without trouble. Removal is considered if infection develops, if the skin over it breaks down, or if it loosens. Reporting changes early makes these problems easier to manage.
It is approached cautiously in children, because the skull and face continue to grow while titanium does not change shape. Timing is discussed carefully, and other reconstructive options are often preferred until growth has settled.
Swelling settles over several weeks and the contour becomes clear as it does. Return to work is often within a few weeks for desk based roles. Contact sport and heavy exertion are avoided for longer, as advised.
Bring your CT images on disc, previous operation notes and details of any earlier implants or infections at the site. This history strongly influences whether a custom implant is advisable for you.
Seeing patients from across the city and beyond: read about the practice on the plastic surgeon in Surat page, or check what a written estimate covers on the costs and insurance page.
