Do I need lower jaw surgery or would genioplasty alone suffice? (Photo)

Question

Advice greatly appreciated. I’ve always been extremely insecure about the lower half of my face - I recently finished 2 years of Invisalign braces thinking it would improve the look of my jaw/mouth area but I still feel incredibly sad and insecure. I was suggested lower jaw surgery by my ortho at the time but passed it up. I’m wondering if I should reconsider or if a sliding genioplasty alone will balance my face. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Timothy Osborn, MD · Answer

Jaw surgery is a major invasive procedure and should not be considered lightly. Jaw surgery is used to fix one's bite and other mechanical issues. If you are strictly looking for a cosmetic procedure, then you appear to be a good candidate for a genioplasty. This would move your chin forward and down, adding projection and length to your chin and bringing more balance to your profile. An added benefit would be adding length and definition to your jawline as well. You also have a small cleft chin, which could be fixed if that is something that bothers you. Our office provides in-person or virtual consultation to discuss options further!

Michael P. Morrissette, DDS, FACS · Answer

The jaw surgery is not necessary if your main concern is cosmetic which is very common. A sliding genioplasty will move your natural chin forward and does not affect your teeth or ability to chew. It will balance your lower face. We perform the genioplasty surgery in our office with intravenous anesthesia. It is important to have a pre-surgical CT to make sure that the chin height is within the normal range. It is possible to advance and increase the length of the chin if that is necessary with the same genioplasty surgery.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

Unfortunately it is impossible to give you good advise based on this photo. In person consultation with a plastic or maxilofacial (oral) surgeon would help. Good luck.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Lower jaw surgery is also known as at genioplasty, which is performed by an oral surgeon in a hospital setting under general anesthesia with an overnight stay at the hospital. This procedure is usually performed when the teeth are significantly out of alignment. For a purely cosmetic improvement of your chin area, consider placement of a chin implant under local anesthesia, which takes about 30 minutes, and it's much less invasive.

Do I need lower jaw surgery or would genioplasty alone suffice? (Photo)

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Answer: Do I need lower jaw surgery?

Answer: Do I need lower jaw surgery?

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Everything you need to know about Genioplasty

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Do I need lower jaw surgery or would genioplasty alone suffice? (Photo)

Answers (4)

Answer: Do I need lower jaw surgery?

Answer: Do I need lower jaw surgery?

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Genioplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.