Many patients desire facial balance and request chin augmentation without having to "cut the chin bone." This procedure is often combined with other procedures or may be performed as a simple out-patient procedure. Chin augmentation is available to accomplish chin advancement and accentuation of the jaw line with the placement of custom-contoured chin implants. Support of the soft tissues of the lip, jaw line and neck is the foundation that prevents or delays aging of this area of the face.
Chin implants can be placed through an incision in the mouth or through an incision underneath the chin. Dr. Lee is skilled in both techniques. There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches, which he will discuss with you at your consultation visit.
Both techniques can achieve predictable results with successful outcomes. A discussion with your surgeon will determine which technique best fits your needs.
Genioplasty
Genioplasty, or bony chin advancement or reduction, is a procedure that evolved from the techniques of Orthognathic (Jaw) surgery. Prior to the development of silicone chin implants, it was the only option available for chin recontouring.
However, this technique is still readily used today, and for many patients, provides a distinct advantage to chin implants. The technique is very versatile. It can be used to reduce the length, overall size or set back the prominent chin. With chin advancement, it allows the advancement of the suprahyoid musculature (muscles of the neck) for patients with weak chin/neck angles and definition. It also allows the use of the patient's own tissue without implantation of a silicone implant. Finally, it permits the correction of both horizontal and vertical asymmetries of the chin.
Preoperative preparation is key to successful genioplasty. Dr. Lee is well-trained in reading lateral cephalometric x-rays. He will accurately treatment plan your chin surgery by carefully reviewing one of these x-rays. This helps the doctor and patient decide how much chin projection is necessary to accomplish facial harmony. Some surgeons do not use this tool, which can result in a chin that is too large or too small for the person’s face.
Because of his extensive training in skeletal surgery, Dr. Lee uses an intra-oral approach which allows a camouflage of the incision, recontouring of the bony chin asymmetry if present, assessment of facial midline by viewing the chin from top-side down, and then a bone cut (osteotomy) of the chin itself. The bony chin is then positioned as planned pre-operatively with the accuracy of 0.5 mm, and then the segment is positioned with a small titanium plate. The oral incision is closed with resorbable sutures and there is no increase in the rate of infection. The bone heals rapidly over the course of 6 weeks.