All About Silicone Ear and its Use as Prosthetics

Why silicone ears may be crucial for someone with a deformity, you may ask! The ear is a vital sensory organ that adds to our appearance and self-esteem. Thus, damage, deformity, or missing ear can hamper your confidence. However, if, unfortunately, you, your child, or someone you know suffer from deformations in the ear due to bodily injury, congenital malformation, or surgical procedure, it is possible to rectify deformities of the ear using surgical procedures or ear prosthetics.

In this blog, we will particularly talk about ear implants and how they can address ear deformities.

Let’s begin with a congenital disorder. Microtia is a genetic disorder in which a child is born with a small or irregularly shaped outer ear. About one in every 500 children born in the United States suffer from Microtia. Although common, the condition can hurt the child’s self-esteem and ability to hear.

But do not despair. There are several ways to correct that. Surgery is one option. Your child can get a new ear after undergoing rib cartilage reconstruction surgery. The surgeon takes tissue from the chest area to construct a new ear in this method.

However, there are situations where it is impossible to perform rib cartilage reconstruction surgery or any other procedures. In such cases, a silicone ear is used as a prosthetic. The use of silicone as ear prosthetics is quite prevalent these days. So, before you purchase or recommend someone for artificial ears, let’s dive in a bit deeper.

Silicone ears

Although artificial ears can’t improve hearing, they are widely used for cosmetic enhancement. The prosthetic expert carefully fabricates the implant using a mold of the unaffected ear. This ensures that the prosthetic ear matches your healthy ear’s shape, size, and color. There are two different types of prosthetic ears available. The first type sticks to the skin using biocompatible glue. The second type is osseointegrated prosthesis.
For offering you an osseointegrated prosthesis, the surgeon first implants titanium posts into the bone around the ear. The surgeon then places the ear prosthetic on top of the titanium implants. It is possible to remove both types of prosthetics.

In fact, you should remove the prosthesis before participating in any athletic activities or going to sleep. You should also remove them at least once a day to clean up the ear and underlying tissue.

The silicone ears generally last between one to three years. The life span of the prostheses depends on the environment, maintenance, activity levels, etc. Now that we know a bit about fake ears, let’s now look at their advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Silicone Ears

The most significant advantage of getting an artificial ear is that it can look very realistic. It also offers an excellent non-surgical option and less risk than surgical reconstruction. It is especially advantageous for patients who cannot undergo surgical procedures like rib cartilage reconstruction.

Besides, artificial ears are easy to wear and remove, so you can take them off whenever you want. Cleaning and maintenance are also pretty simple.

Disadvantages of Silicone Ears

Although implants can be a great non-surgical alternative, there are a few disadvantages. For instance, it is hard to hide the seam where the silicone is next to the natural skin. It is difficult to match skin color, which changes throughout the year.

Additionally, repeated removal or replacement of the device can cause it to break. You might also need to readjust the device after each removal. You also need to remove the device before participating in sports or going to sleep. However, with the help of an expert and proper maintenance, you can handle all issues. It’s a much better option to bring your life back to normal.

So, the question now arises as to where you can get these prosthetic ears? Well, you can get your silicone ear from any of the leading prosthetic experts near you. But, if you are looking for a recommendation, you can try out Specialty Facial. Before you ask, here are some of the reasons you should go for Specialty Facial.

Why opt for Specialty Facial?

Specialty Facial is a dedicated provider of natural-looking and realistic prostheses. The clinic has been offering expert care to thousands of patients over the past three decades. It stands out by providing excellent customer service to make the prosthesis journey smooth for the patients. The clinic strives to offer its patients satisfaction and helps them to embrace a better way of life.

So, if you are looking for an ear prosthesis, there is no better place than Specialty Facial. Connect and trust their expert team to give you, your child, or your acquaintance a new life.