Is a chin implant better for my short chin than a genioplasty? Will it feel natural?

Without an exam your question cannot be answered. However, your photos are helpful and you are probably a good candidate for a Chin Augmentation. You will need to see an Oral/Maxillofacial surgeon to see if othognathic surgery, genioplasty or using an implant is best for your specific case. It should be noted that patients with severely weak jaws or abnormally functioning jaws may be better treated with other facial surgery (orthognathic surgery), although a chin augmentation may be an option at a later time. These patients should seek the advice of a plastic surgeon to determine which course is right for them. Here is some information to help you make this decision: Candidates for Chin Augmentation - Patients whose chin profiles are weak but have normally functioning jaws are candidates for Chin Augmentation. Many of these candidates have used injectable fillers in the past to strengthen the protrusion of their chins, but are looking for a permanent solution. If you are one of these patients, then you are a likely candidate for chin augmentation

Inserting a chin implant is generally an easier procedure with slightly faster recovery. It is difficult to significntly increase the vertical length of the chin with a chin implant and a sliding genioplasty may be necessary. A sliding genioplasty won't  change your bite but only move the bone below the teeth forward, downward, or both. If your bite (occlusion) is off, correcting your bite is the first priority and completed before any cosmetic changes are made.Even a properly placed implant may feel awkward initially but it would soon become a part of you. A poorly positioned or a too large of an implant may be uncomfortable and always remind you it's there. Evaluation with use of proper measurement is the best way to decide how to reach your desired outcome. An experienced plastic surgeon can guide you to what is best for you.

 A sliding genioplasty is performed by an oral surgeon under general anesthesia  in the hospital setting with an overnight hospital stay.  A chin implant is performed under local anesthesia which takes approximately 30 minutes.  A sliding genioplasty is usually performed when the teeth are significantly out alignment.  A chin implant will not affect the teeth alignment.  Chin implants are manufactured and a large array of sizes and shapes, are composed of Silastic, and usually placed through a small incision underneath the chin.  Chin implants feel very natural.  For more information  and many chin implant before and after results, please see the link and the video below

Hi, I have performed many Chin Augmentations using chin implants for over 30 years.  Non smiling photos of your face from the front and side would help in the evaluation.  A weak chin creates an imbalance making the nose appear larger, the mid face top heavy and the lower face look short that de-emphasizes the lips and allows early formation of a double chin.  Chin augmentation using a chin implant will add projection to the chin creating harmony and balance to the lower face.  I have found that placement of a silastic chin implant, through a small curved incision under the chin (also allows excess skin removal) to be very safe, quick, highly effective and far less invasive than a sliding genioplasty.  I perform chin implant surgery in 30 minutes or less, often using a local anesthetic alone.  
Hope this helps.

Dear always, If you do not have any impeding problems with your bite then a chin augmentation is a very simple procedure that can provide a very nice balance to your profile and overall facial aesthetics. This procedure has a very quick recovery, and has very moderate discomfort associated with the procedure compared to genioplasty. An in office consultation aided with imaging can show you the proposed results. Patients forget they have a chin implant in after a few months and it feels very normal as if you were born with it after the recovery phase. See some examples in the link below and video above. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.