Definition of Chin augmentation:

A chin augmentation is a surgical procedure to reshape or enhance the size of the chin. It may be done either by inserting an implant or by moving or reshaping bones.

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 doctor will use these x-rays to determine 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 (unconscious and not able to feel pain), or you may receive local numbing medicine 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, and 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 is barely visible.

It may also be necessary to move some bones:

• You will likely be under general anesthesia.
• The surgeon will make a cut inside the 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 to the desired position and wired or screwed in place.
• The cut is closed with stitches and a bandage is applied. Because the surgery is performed inside the mouth, you will not see any scars.
• The procedure takes less than an hour to approximately 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.

Why the Procedure Is Performed:

Chin augmentation is usually done to balance the face by making the chin longer or bigger compared to the nose. The best candidates for chin augmentation are people with weak or receding chins (microgenia), but who have a normal dental bite.

Before your surgery, discuss your expectations about looking and feeling better with the plastic surgeon. Keep in mind that the desired result is improvement, not perfection.