Chin Surgery

The chin is an important structure in a person’s profile. When someone has a small chin, the transition between the lower face and neck often appears oblique, making the neck look fuller. On profile, the nose may be normal, but appear large when the chin is small and the proportions are off. A prominent chin can also throw off the appearance of a person’s profile. Chin surgery can improve the proportions of the face and can create a nicer jaw line and neckline.

The chin shape can often be improved with a chin implant or a sliding genioplasty. Both of these procedures are performed through an incision inside the mouth, so there are no visible scars.

The placement of a chin implant involves the creation of a small pocket over the most prominent portion of the chin, where an implant is inserted. This increases the projection of the chin.

A genioplasty, requires cutting the lowest portion of the jaw bone, which includes the chin, moving it forward (for a small chin) and holding it in place with a plate and screws. This procedure is more flexible, as bone can be moved back if a person’s chin is too prominent, or to the side if a person has chin asymmetry. A genioplasty does not change the location of the teeth.

Each of these procedures is generally very well tolerated, can cause some mild bruising and swelling and has minimal recovery time.