Who can benefit from this procedure?

Individuals born with a poorly defined chin may seek a mentoplasty to achieve better facial balance. Both women and men may undergo this procedure to correct a receding chin and enhance their facial features with a more distinguished and attractive appearance. In some cases, mentoplasty may be performed to correct congenital defects. Chin augmentation is often combined with rhinoplasty to achieve optimal facial harmony.

How is the surgery performed?

Typically, the procedure is performed under light anesthesia through intravenous sedation. However, local anesthesia with or without oral sedation may also be used. It is an outpatient surgery and patients can return home to recover within a few hours of the procedure. To access the area for implant placement, a single incision is made either under the chin or inside the mouth.

Most surgeons use an incision under the chin to insert implants. This produces a permanent scar. Dr. Turowski developed a way to perform the procedure safely and predictably through an incision inside the mouth. This way there are no visible scars on the face. This is especially important for younger females – they have no wrinkles or facial hair to cover the scar and sometimes these scars can be very conspicuous. There is no better way to avoid the possibility of such scars.

There are some choices with chin implants. The most popular implant is made from a safe and stable solid silicone. In some cases, the porous synthetic material Porex might be a better choice. Unlike breast implants, chin implants are solid so they are basically lifetime devices since they cannot rupture.

Implants come in different shapes and sizes. Dr. Turowski will discuss shape options with you and the size is pre-determined during a consultation with the help of a Mirror 3D imaging system. This allows a patient to visualize results before surgery.

Another option is to avoid implants and perform enlargement with a filler. Although no surgery is involved, filler injections have to be repeated yearly. Fillers might be a good choice for a trial but implants are a better choice for a permanent solution.

Are chin implants safe?

Chin implants offer a permanent solution to correcting a receding chin and enhancing the facial profile. This surgical procedure has a long history of safety and predictability, with millions of implants made from silicone rubber or porous synthetic material (Porex) being placed worldwide. These materials are also commonly used for joint replacements and heart valves.

Recovery

Postoperative discomfort following chin implant surgery is minimal and can be easily managed with oral pain medications. While bruising is typically negligible, some swelling may be visible for a few days following the procedure. Depending on the extent of the surgery, patients may require a soft food diet for a few days due to potential limitations in chewing. If done from the inside of the mouth, no sutures need to be removed.