A Complete Overview of the Main Instruments Used in Facial Contouring Surgery

Hello, I’m Dr. Jo Hyun-woo of 3D Plastic Surgery.

One of the questions people considering facial contouring surgery ask most often in the consultation room is:

“Doctor, what instruments are used during surgery? Isn’t it dangerous?”

Today, I’ll organize the main surgical instruments actually used in facial contouring surgery.

Surgical saw

The key to facial contouring surgery is to cut the bone accurately and move or reduce it to the desired position.

The most basic instruments used at this stage are the surgical saw and the osteotome.

① An oscillating saw is a surgical saw that cuts bone while moving slightly back and forth.

It has good maneuverability during cutting, and one advantage is that it can form a relatively clean osteotomy line.

It is especially useful in the square jaw or chin area and is one of the cutting instruments most commonly used in facial contouring surgery.

② A reciprocating saw is a surgical instrument that cuts as the blade moves straight back and forth. Because of its strong cutting power, it can perform bone cutting quickly in a short amount of time. Due to these characteristics, it is advantageous when cutting thick bone or when a straight osteotomy is needed.

③ An osteotome is a chisel-shaped bone-cutting instrument used mainly when fine adjustments are needed after an initial osteotomy has been performed with a saw. Since it can be used to finely refine the osteotomy line, it helps prevent excessive cutting and allows precise manipulation, especially in areas adjacent to important structures such as nerves or blood vessels, helping ensure safety.

Burr

As important as cutting the bone is the step of refining the bone surface.

A burr used at this stage is employed to remove sharp bone edges left after osteotomy and to correct slight left-right asymmetry.

There are two types of burrs: a diamond burr has relatively gentle cutting power and is suitable for delicate adjustments and refined finishing, while a carbide burr has stronger cutting power and is useful when the shape of the bone needs to be modified to some extent.

In this way, it can be said to be a key step that determines the smoothness and completeness of the surgical result.

Plate & screw

To stably fix the bone after it has been moved following osteotomy, titanium plates and screws are used.

Titanium is a material with very high biocompatibility, so the risk of allergic reactions or rejection is extremely low, and in most cases there is no need to remove it even after the bone has fully fused. These plates and screws are mainly used for fixation after cheekbone osteotomy or for stabilization after genioplasty.

I am often asked, “Can I get laser treatments because of the pins?”

Most lifting laser treatments are not directly related to them, so there is usually no major issue in proceeding.

Retractor & retraction instrument

It is no exaggeration to say that facial contouring surgery is a battle for visibility. Retractors that reliably pull back soft tissue to secure the field of view, as well as dedicated retraction instruments for directly protecting nerves, are necessary. Only with these tools is accurate bone cutting possible without unnecessary damage.

Electrocautery

Electrocautery is an essential piece of equipment used to immediately stop bleeding during surgery.

Because it can electrically coagulate blood vessels and quickly control bleeding, it helps maintain a stable surgical field and also contributes to shortening the overall surgery time.

When bleeding is effectively managed, the occurrence of hematoma or swelling after surgery decreases, making the recovery process smoother. For this reason, in facial contouring surgery, it can be said to be a key factor directly tied to recovery management.

The outcome of facial contouring surgery depends not simply on which instruments are used, but on who uses them, when they are used, and how they are used.

Even with the same instruments, the result can vary completely depending on experience and judgment, so during consultation it is important to listen carefully not only to the surgical method, but also to how the surgery will be performed.

Thank you.