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Breast Implants in Lake Oswego Types, Profiles, Brands, and Options
If you’re considering breast augmentation or an implant exchange, one of the most important decisions you and your surgeon will make is choosing the implant that best fits your anatomy and aesthetic goals.
Breast Implant Options
For many patients in Portland and Lake Oswego, the goal is achieving results that appear balanced and natural. The right implant should complement your unique anatomy and align with your lifestyle.
At Burgess Plastic Surgery, we offer a wide range of breast implant options, including different sizes, shapes, and types, so your results can be tailored to look balanced and natural with your body. This page is designed to help you understand your choices so you can feel informed and confident before your breast augmentation consultation.
Table of Contents
Implant Material
The material inside your breast implants plays a major role in how your results will look, feel, and age over time.
While both saline and silicone implants are FDA-approved and widely used in their own right, they behave very differently once placed in the body.
Choosing between them isn’t about which is better, but about what’s better for you—what aligns best with your anatomy, aesthetic goals, and personal preferences.
Saline Implants
Saline implants have a silicone outer shell that is filled with sterile saltwater (saline solution) after the implant is placed in the breast pocket. Because they are inserted empty and filled during surgery, they offer a unique level of intraoperative flexibility.
One of the main advantages of saline implants is adjustability. Your surgeon can fine-tune breast volume during the procedure, helping correct minor asymmetries or achieve very precise sizing.
Most saline implants are less compressible than silicone because they’re filled with saltwater. Saltwater has a different density than natural breast tissue and maintains greater pressure within the shell, so saline implants tend to impart a more augmented appearance and a firmer breast feel. Patients with minimal existing breast tissue may notice more rippling or visible edges with saline implants.
Another benefit of saline implants is that implant rupture is immediately noticeable. The implant deflates quickly as the saline solution is safely absorbed by the body.
Saline implants are FDA-approved for patients 18 and older, making them a common option for younger patients or those who prioritize simplicity and peace of mind in monitoring implant integrity.
Silicone Implants
Silicone implants have a silicone shell filled with a silicone gel designed to replicate the feel of natural breast tissue. Silicone gel has a more viscous consistency, allowing the implant to feel soft while retaining its shape.
Silicone gel is thicker than water, providing a pliable and bouncy feel that patients love. Patients with thinner breast tissue or concerns about visible rippling typically opt for silicone implants for this reason.
When silicone implants rupture, though, they don’t deflate. Instead, they typically undergo a “silent rupture,” meaning the gel remains within the implant shell or the surrounding capsule (scar tissue). This can make it hard to detect a rupture without regular imaging, such as MRI or ultrasound.
Silicone implants are FDA-approved for patients 22 and older and are the most commonly chosen implant type due to their natural aesthetic.
Implant Shape
Breast implants come in two shapes: round and shaped (more commonly known as teardrop or contoured).
Round Implants
Round implants were designed to provide more volume to enhance the breast. They can also move naturally with the breasts while still looking natural.
Shaped Implants
Shaped implants are contoured to mimic the natural slope of the breast, which is fuller at the bottom and thinner near the top, and must be aligned correctly. As a result, they are made with a textured surface to keep them in place and slightly adhered to the body.
Dr. Burgess rarely recommends shaped implants for cosmetic breast augmentation because of their textured surface, which is linked to chronic inflammation and Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). In most cases, modern round silicone implants can achieve beautiful results without the need for a textured implant surface.
Implant Profile
Implant profile plays a major role in shaping your final silhouette. It refers to how far the implant projects forward from the chest wall.
Low
Low-profile implants have a broader base and sit flatter against the chest, creating minimal projection. They’re ideal for broader chest frames and create a subtle, understated enhancement.
Moderate
As one of the most versatile options ideal for many body types, moderate-profile implants provide a balanced combination of width and projection.
Moderate Plus
The moderate-plus profile is popular, offering noticeable fullness while maintaining a slightly narrower base.
High
High-profile implants have a narrower base and are designed for more forward projection, creating a rounder, fuller appearance and a more lifted silhouette.
Ultra-High
Ultra-high-profile implants have the narrowest base and the most projection of all options.
Breast Implant Brands
Sientra®
Sientra® has been a highly trusted company for over 13 years and has over half a million implants in real-world use. They are backed by the only 20-year warranty and also lifetime FREE implant replacement for ruptures.
They have more than 200 implant options, six profile levels, two surface options, and two high-strength gel types. The profile types include Low, Low Plus, Moderate, Moderate Plus, High, and Xtra High.
Sientra® implants are engineered with high-strength cohesive gel and are a reliable option for long-term outcomes.
Motiva®
Motiva® has been innovating breast implants for more than two decades, focusing on safe, advanced implant technology and a more biocompatible implant surface. While the company has been established internationally for many years, Motiva® implants received FDA approval in the United States in 2024, making them one of the newest implant options available to U.S. patients.
They offer two primary implants: the SmoothSilk® Round and the SmoothSilk® Ergonomix®.
SmoothSilk® Round
The SmoothSilk® Round implant is designed to maintain its round shape whether you’re standing or lying down. It gives the appearance of a perkier, more youthful look with a soft feel.
SmoothSilk® Ergonomix®
The SmoothSilk® Ergonomix® implants are a unique implant on the market. They adapt to your body’s position; round when lying down and teardrop when standing up. It’s designed to be inserted through a small incision, resulting in minimal scarring.
Preservé®
Preservé® is the latest innovation by Motiva®, designed to enable a low-impact, tissue-preserving approach to surgical breast enhancement. This system focuses on minimizing disruption to the natural breast structure and promoting a low inflammatory response. Advantages of Preservé® include smaller scars and a quicker, safer recovery.
Dr. Burgess will soon be offering Preservé® implants using a specialized surgical technique designed specifically for this implant system. As this technology becomes available in our practice, we look forward to providing patients with even more personalized breast implant options.
Motiva® implants are particularly appealing to patients seeking dynamic, natural-looking results with advanced implant technology.
Mentor®
Mentor® has been around for more than 30 years and is a highly respected implant manufacturer. They offer both silicone and saline options, which vary in size, shape, texture, and profile: MemoryGel™, MemoryGel™ Boost, and Saline.
The MemoryGel™ is a round implant filled with cohesive gel that holds together, providing a softer and more natural feel. They offer 4 implant profiles: Moderate Classic, Moderate Plus, High, and Ultra High.
The Saline implant is a round option that lets you fine-tune the amount of saline in each implant. It is available in a smooth shell and has a slightly firmer feel.
Mentor® implants are known for their consistency, durability, and long-term performance.
Natrelle® (Allergan)
Natrelle® by Allergan is a well-established and widely recognized implant brand known for its advanced technology and broad selection of options. They offer silicone and saline implants in a variety of sizes, shapes, textures, and profiles.
The INSPIRA® collection features round silicone implants filled with a highly cohesive gel designed to provide a soft, natural look and feel. This line of implants offers multiple profile options, including Low, Moderate, Full, and Extra Full. These implants are often used for breast reconstruction since they have a wider range of implant sizes.
Natrelle®’s variety provides an extensive customization to meet a wide range of patient goals.
Visualizing Your Results With Crisalix 3D Imaging
Want to see into the future? Crisalix 3D imaging allows our patients to see potential results from their upcoming breast procedure. This technology allows us to learn more about the patient’s anatomy, including the chest wall, breast volume, and nipple position.
A 3D image of you is rendered in Crisalix. From there, you can “try on” different implant styles and volumes. The final image reflects what you may look like three to six months after surgery.
Of course, there is no guarantee of outcome, but Crisalix does give us a pretty good idea of what you will look like following your breast surgery, and it has been consistent with what we have seen in our results.
Breast Implant FAQs
How long do breast implants last?
The FDA states that breast implants are not lifetime devices. That said, they are designed to be long-lasting. Many patients enjoy their breast implants for 10–20 years or longer without issue.
There is no specific, designated time for implant replacement—implants are removed or exchanged only if a complication arises or if a patient desires a change in size or style.
Can I breastfeed after getting breast implants?
Yes, many patients are still able to breastfeed with breast implants.
If this consideration is important to you, be sure to discuss it with Dr. Burgess during your consultation.
Do breast implants affect mammograms?
They can. Breast implants may obscure breast tissue, potentially making it harder to spot abnormalities during mammograms. However, specialized imaging techniques allow technologists to see around the implant and properly evaluate breast tissue. Always inform your radiologist or imaging provider that you have implants so they can adjust their approach.
At Burgess Plastic Surgery, we offer imaging with Mindray High-Resolution Ultrasound, a next-generation technology that enables breast implant monitoring without radiation exposure.
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Schedule Your Breast Implant Consultation in Lake Oswego, OR
If you’re considering breast augmentation, you’re likely excited and probably have a few questions. In that case, gather your inspiration photos and get ready to discuss your lifestyle goals and pressing concerns with board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Elisa Burgess.
To schedule your private consultation, call us at (503) 699-6464 or fill out our online contact form.
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