Chin Implant Overview (Mentoplasty)
A strong jaw line is a prerequisite for an attractive face in both men and women. A receding chin or microgenia (literally “small-chin”) is most often an inherited trait present from birth. This condition is to be distinguished from retrogenia (literally “behind chin”) in which the top and bottom teeth are malpositioned. Dr. Marotta will carefully evaluate your situation to determine if consultation with an oral surgeon is appropriate.
In cases of a small chin, the simplest treatment involves chin augmentation by placing a chin implant (mentoplasty). Chin augmentation can help to restore more ideal facial proportion and balance; for example, by making the nose appear smaller and the jaw larger. Improving facial proportion can lead to a dramatic enhancement of one’s overall facial beauty. Mentoplasty is frequently performed in combination with septorhinoplasty for this reason.
Reasons for getting a chin implant
- To give a more attractive jawline by enlarging the chin if it is recessed or small.
- To create a more defined facial profile and to bring the various aspects of your face into proportion.
Pre-Jowl Implant Overview
Pre-jowl implants are frequently grouped into chin implants but the primary goal of pre-jowl implants is very different. As a person ages, they lose bone density all over the body. On either side of the chin is an area called the pre-jowl sulcus: “pre” means before; “jowls” are those fleshy areas that develop with age along the jawline; and “sulcus” means a groove or dip. A groove is formed on either side of the chin when bone density is lost in this area. This unfortunate occurrence makes the jawline lose its defined look and the jowls look worse. A simple way to alleviate this problem is to place a pre-jowl implant. It fills in the areas of lost bone, lessens jowling, and restores a youthful contour to the jaw. This operation is a wonderful compliment to a facelift and together they can alleviate even the worst jowling. There is also a combination implant that both augments the chin (see above) and fills in the pre-jowl sulcus for patients who have both a small chin and a pre-jowl sulcus.
General Procedure
Whether you are having a chin implant or a pre-jowl implant the procedure is identical. Alone, the procedure takes thirty minutes to an hour. As previously stated, frequently a chin implant is done in combination with rhinoplasty and a pre-jowl implant with a facelift. A small incision is made below the chin and hidden in a natural crease. A deep pocket is created and the implant is placed. Fine suturing is used to close the incision.
Recovery
Post-operatively, we recommend only light activity and head of bed elevation. You will have chin tapes around your chin for five days to decrease swelling. You may have other bandages if you’ve had any other surgery. In five days we remove the chin tapes and your sutures. You may be slightly swollen and bruised but this resolves pretty rapidly. Complications from this surgery are relatively rare. The implant is made from material that has been used since the 1950s with an excellent safety profile. The implant is accepted well into the surrounding tissue, lasts a lifetime, and is placed deep enough so all you will ever feel or see is you.