Chin augmentation is surgery to reshape or enhance the size of the chin. It may be done either by inserting an implant or by moving or reshaping bones.
Alternative Names
Augmentation mentoplasty; Genioplasty
Description
Surgery may be performed in the surgeon's office, a hospital, or an outpatient clinic.
You will have x-rays taken of your face and chin. The surgeon will use these x-rays to find out what part of the chin to operate on.
When you need only an implant to round out the chin:
- You may be under general anesthesia (asleep and pain-free). Or you may get medicine to numb the area, along with a medicine that will make you relaxed and sleepy.
- A cut is made, either inside the mouth or outside under the chin. A pocket is created in front of the chin bone and under the muscles. The implant is placed inside.
- The surgeon may use real bone or fat tissue, or an implant made out of silicone, Teflon™, Dacron, or newer biological inserts.
- The implant is usually attached to the bone with sutures or screws.
- Sutures are used to close the surgical cut. When the cut is inside the mouth, the scar can barely be seen.
The surgeon may also need to move some bones:
- You will likely be under general anesthesia.
- The surgeon will make a cut inside your mouth along the lower gum. This gives the surgeon access to the chin bone.
- The surgeon uses a bone saw or chisel to make a second cut through the jaw bone. The jaw bone is moved and wired or screwed in place.
- The cut is closed with stitches and a bandage is applied. Because the surgery is performed inside your mouth, you will not see any scars.
- The procedure takes between 1 and 3 hours.
Chin augmentation is commonly done at the same time as a nose job (rhinoplasty) or facial liposuction (when fat is removed from under the chin and neck).
Surgery to correct bite problems can be done at the same time as chin surgery.
