Chin Augmentation Risk of Nerve Damage?

I am 4 weeks post-op and still feeling pain, numbness and tinging. I keep reading that permanent nerve damage is possible but rare. Could someone please describe what "rare" is? Are we talking it occurs 1% or 10% or what percent of the time. I am trying to figure out what my odds are here since I am still having problems.

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by Tigerfan7777 in Baton Rouge, LA

Doctor Answers (7)
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Normal to feel pain one month after chin implant

It is normal that one month after chin implant that patients are still feeling pain, numbness and tingling. A rare complication is something that occurs less than 1% of the time.

Permanent nerve injury from chin augmentation highly unlikely

You could still have temporary numbness from the dissection around the nerves. When a chin implant procedure is done, the pocket is dissected under direct vision. The mental nerves are identified and avoided, and the implant is placed away from them. A permanent numbness requires a complete cutting of this nerve, which is highly unlikely. Statistics here do not help, just ask your surgeon!

Permanent nerve damage from chin augmentation very rare

The risk of permanent nerve damage is very rare. The option for the chin augmentation is through the mouth incision or under the chin incision. The risk of the nerve injury is much less with the incision under the chin.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Numbness after chin augmentation

Generally speaking, pain and tingling tends to be a good sign and may be indicative of nerve recovery. As stated by Dr. Rand, there are two major nerves that can be effected by chin augmentation. One is a motor nerve that is typically injured/bruised from the liposuction and typically accompanies chin augmentation; The other is a nerve coming directly out of the jaw bone, which provides feeling to the lower lip. There is one on both sides. Therefore, if you have relatively symmetric... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

33 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

How rare is nerve damage?

Personally, I have never had a patient with permanent nerve damage from a chin implant. There are two major nerves, though, that come out of the mandible and supply the lower lip with feeling that need to be protected. The pocket created for the implant should go below these nerves. The creation of the pocket and the presence of the implant may stretch these nerves a bit causing their function to temporarily diminish. If you have feeling in your lower lip, even if it is diminished... more

Cheek augmentation nerve damage risk less than 1%

I have performed hundreds of chin augmentations and have never had permanent nerve damage. However, it is not uncommon in the short term to experience what you are going through and I would expect it to resolve. Perhaps you should discuss this with your surgeon for advice.

Permanent nerve damage close to 1%

I can't give you an exact number but I would say that permanent nerve injury is closer to 1% than 10%. Transient, self-correcting nerve injury, however, is much more common. The fact that you still have pain and discomfort is nothing to worry about as long as your surgeon establishes that you don't have an infection or some other untoward event. The fact that you have tingling is actually a good thing, as it usually indicates that the injured nerves are re-growing. In fact, the tingling... more