Chin Implants
Facial Plastic Surgery by ASI - Boca Raton, Florida

Chin (mandibular) augmentation is the surgical use of sterile synthetics or biological implants to bring the chin into better balance with your other facial features. It is very common to have chin implants when a nose job (rhinoplasty) is being done. Physicians may refer to the procedure as genioplasty. The outcome should be a balanced relationship between the structures of the face and may bolster your self-esteem.

What are the Benefits of Chin Implants?

The procedure can balance a weak, or receding, chin and make a prominent nose seem less large. A weak chin can also make your neck look overly fleshy. Usually, a chin implant provides a more harmonious balance to your face and features so you feel better about the way you look, especially in profile.

How are Chin Implants Performed?

Chin augmentation operations can last thirty minutes to one and one-half hours, depending on the circumstances of your case. The procedures can be performed with either a local or general anesthetic, depending on patient and plastic surgeon preferences. The surgeon may use fat from your body, silicone implants or a whole range of other synthetic or biological inserts which may even include specially prepared coral. Some implants are made of solid silicone, generally considered safe by most physicians because, they say, there is no scientific evidence that solid silicone is harmful. In the operating room, your vital signs will be monitored while the surgeon selects the best size and shape to enhance your appearance. He then inserts it into a pocket under your chin. Or, the implant is inserted through the mouth, along the lower lip. Usually, the chin is taped after surgery to minimize swelling and discomfort. Sutures are usually removed in five to seven days. Chin augmentation is also commonly combined with facial liposuction, where fat is removed from under the chin and under the neck. Chin implants conform to the bone and are usually undetectable. The implant is generally sutured to bone or attached with titanium surgical screws.
 

How Much Pain is Associated with Chin Implants?

Normally, extensive pain is not associated with chin implantation although pain and relaxation medication is often prescribed beforehand. Your plastic surgeon may also write a prescription for medication to reduce swelling and bruising. After the operation, you may feel a degree of numbness in your chin that usually disappears within one to three months. Your physician may ask you to wear a supporting brace during sleep to allow your tissues and implant(s) to heal in the best position possible and prevent shifting in the first few weeks of your recuperation. Swelling usually disappears within the first five to seven days. Many chin implant patients return to work with the help of camouflaging cosmetics about five days after the procedure. Patients who have been under a general anesthesia may feel a little queasy at the stomach after waking. Some swelling and bruising can be expected and usually subsides within the first two weeks. Dr. Pozner may ask you to wear a support brace while you sleep to allow your tissues and implant to heal in the desired position.
 

What are The Long-Term Effects of Chin Implants?

Most are good for life. But some autologous fat grafts can be reabsorbed into your body. With the increasing popularity of various plastic surgery procedures, including chin implants, it’s important the prospective patient research and understand different issues such as what the procedure can and cannot treat, inherent risks, costs, and other factors. Keep in mind, plastic surgery is just that – a surgical procedure whose results cannot simply be erased.

Who would best Represent an Ideal Candidate for Chin Implants?

A person in good health, without active diseases or any other pre-existing medical conditions and who has a chin too small for her face. Moreover, the human chin can lose projection with aging. The operation also requires patience and stability in dealing with the healing period. Because swelling may be present for months, the defined, chiseled look that patients so desire may not become evident for three to four months. There is sometimes a lull or depression after surgery and if there is already an emotional problem, this low period can develop into a more serious issue. You should also have no bone disorders and not have been on Accutane for the last six months or more. Chin implants are additionally used to correct congenital deficiencies and facial trauma.
 

What Are the Risks and Limitations of Chin Implant Surgery?

Chin implants can produce some remarkable changes in your appearance but problems and complications, although rare, do occur. Any facial implant can shift slightly out of alignment and require a second operation to replace it back to its proper location. If infection occurs around a chin implant and does not clear up after treatment with antibiotics, the implant might have to be removed for a while and replaced later. There is also a slight chance of blood clots (hematoma) numbness from nerve damage and discolorations (hyperpigmentation) on the skin of your face caused by bruising. Another rare risk includes the implant shifting which requires additional surgery to reposition it. There is also a slight chance of asymmetry from tissues healing at different rates and bone readsorption. There is also a slight risk of excess tightening and hardening of scar tissue (capsular contracture,) around an implant causing an unnatural shape.

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