Chin Augmentation

Improving the facial balance by reducing or increasing the prominence of the chin is performed by reshaping the front on the mandible (jawbone0. The goal is to provide suitable projection of the chin as well as the correct height of the chin which is in balance with the other facial features. The optimum balance is determined by the proportions of the upper, mid and lower face, which is specific to men and women.

The ideal patients for Chin Reduction Surgery are people with a large chin which is out of proportion to the face (macrogenia), but who have a normal dental bite. The large chin may be too tall (vertical height), or too long (from front to back). If there is an underbite (the lower teeth are in front of the upper teeth, then a different operation is required (orthognathic surgery – where the jaw bone is broken and set back). Similarly, a small chin can make the nose look more prominent than it actually is. Making the chin more prominent using either an implant, or surgery to move part of the jawbone forward, can help to reshape the aesthetic contours of the jawline.

Chin Surgery is performed under general anaesthetic, commonly as a day-case procedure. Local anaesthesia is also used to provide immediate post-operative comfort.

Pre Operative XRays of the mandible (lower jaw bone) will be obtained in order to check the lower teeth roots, position of the nerves supplying sensation to the teeth and lips, and to plan the degree of reshaping required to restore the lower face balance.

Chin Reduction Surgery normally takes approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours to perform depending on the complexity of the surgery.

The incision is placed in the lower gum of the lip and is therefore hidden inside the mouth. This incision heals well in 5 – 7 days. Care will need to be taken with oral hygiene and you will be asked to adopt a soft diet for about 1 week to prevent any hard foods from rubbing against the intra-oral incision. Occasionally, the mental area may be accessed via a small incision just below the chin. If an implant is required to augment toe chin, it is placed in a tight pocket created for it just above the lower border of the jawbone at the chin.