In addition to choosing the size, filler, and texture of breast implants, patients and surgeons also have the option of selecting the appropriate implant shape to be placed during surgery. The manufacturers of breast implants currently make round and teardrop shaped breast implants. Each type produces a different shape in patients after they are implanted.
Round implants are the most commonly used implant shape in breast augmentation surgeries. Surgeons have found that they add more volume, projection, and cleavage to the breasts than teardrop shaped breast implants. However, some patients feel that the roundness of these implants do not look as natural as real breasts. This concern can be addressed by placing a proportionately sized implant beneath the chest muscle to make the breasts look as natural as possible.
The sloping shape of teardrop implants is closer to the shape of natural breasts than round implants. Some patients that have teardrop implants placed, however, may be unhappy with the results of their procedure because teardrop implants do not produce as dramatic of a result as rounded implants.