Chin Implant Wearing at Bone It is Attached To?

I saw a board certified plastic surgeon who is also an oral surgeon. He likes the sliding genioplasty, but it does seem more complicated. Should I be concerned about a chin implant wearing away at the bone it is attached to? I am 40.

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4 Doctor Answers | Asked by CJ in QC in E. Moline, Il, US

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Genioplasty is more complicated

There is usually a very small amount of bone resorption that can occur over a chin implant, which results in a couple of millimeters. Chin implant is very simple and is easy to perform and can be removed at any time. An isolated chin implant surgery can actually be done under local anesthetic in the office and takes approximately 30 minutes to perform. A sliding genioplasty is much more complicated and is permanent, and there is more pain associated with it, and the postoperative... more

Be informed, but not overly concerned

Your surgeon was right to inform you about risks and possible complications from the various alternative treatments. As an experienced plastic surgeon who does not perform sliding genioplasty, I discuss the option with patients and refer if indicated. Bone resorption beneath an implant is a possibility. Bone resorption of the advanced portion in a genioplasty (or gradual loss of the degree of correction) is also known. I am not aware of statistics on the frequency or amount of those... more

Silicone implants may cause bone erosion

The two main options for chin enhancement are to use implants or modify the bone. The sliding genioplasty is your own bone and does not have erosion or displacement once it is healed. It may still have some form of implant or foreign body with the use of fixation plates, screws or wires. An implant can be a silicone form or a firm porous plastic form that is put on the bone. The silicone implants are the ones that can cause erosion and pain over time but the porous plastic implant become... more

Marcus L. Peterson, MD

4 reviews

Saint George Plastic Surgeon

Chin implants are excellent for improving your profile, and jawline.

Dear CJ, This is an excellent question. I'll preface this by stating that I only place implants, and never do sliding genioplasties. You should feel confident that ruberized-silicone chin implants have been FDA approved since the 1970s, and have a long track record of safety. The operation is short, complications are few, results are predictable, and the implant can always be removed. Although the underlying bone can be affected after many years, significant loss of chin projection over... more