Austin Chin Surgery doctors
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Louis W. Apostolakis, MD
Austin Facial Plastic Surgeon
5656 Bee Caves Road Suite E-201, Austin |
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Wilberto Cortes, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon
5000 Westheimer Suite #602, Houston |
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Mario Diana, MD
San Antonio Plastic Surgeon
19234 Stonehue Suite 101, San Antonio |
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William H. Gorman, MD
Austin Plastic Surgeon
3003 Bee Caves Rd Ste 203, Austin |
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Steven Holzman, MD
Austin Plastic Surgeon
6818 Austin Center Boulevard Suite 206, Austin |
Recent Answers
I'd like my chin/jaw to look stronger. It sounds like there are two possible solutions:
- Implant: This would add more projection, but not height. Some implants extend along the jaw (Mittelman prejowl chin implant). Would this improve the chin/jaw's strength without lengthening the chin's vertical height?
- Sliding Genioplasty: This would involve cutting the chin bone and repositioning it. This could be used add vertical height to the chin, but I wonder if additional height is even necessary to achieve my goal of a stronger chin and jaw.
When is it preferable to choose an implant over sliding genioplasty?
Chin augmentation can be done by either adding an artificial material (chin implant) or by moving your own bone forward (sliding genioplasty). A sliding genioplasty is a much more complex operation, requires a larger incision, has a higher rate of complication, is far more dificult to undo, has a longer healing time, and puts your teeth and nerves at greater risk. In addition, there are dozens of chin implant shapes and sizes to pick from compared to very limited options with a sliding genioplasty.
I use silastic chin implants which I insert via a 1/2 inch incision either inside your mouth or under your chin (you choose). Silastic is a material which has been used for this purpose for decades and is known to be safe. Their is usually no bruising, minimal pain, mild swelling, and very rare complication. The operation can easily be done under local anesthesia, if you like, allowing you to drive home. It takes about 30 minutes total and if you choose to be awake you can even inspect your appearance with several sizes before finalizing things.
We do know that chin implants tend to put a dent in the bone after a while. This is not a problem unless you decide to remove or change out the implant at a later time. If you change your mind about an implant (either just don't like it at all or want a different size), it very easy to switch for the first several months. Later than that and the operation gets more difficult becuase of the ridge in the bone, but it still can be done.
