Still have chin implant pain after 1 year. Any suggestions on what may be going on here? (Photo)

Question

I had a chin implant done exactly 1 year ago today. I went to the doctor yesterday and told him I was experiencing tenderness and pain in the chin area since day one, which he said is uncommon. He noticed my scar was a bit "rope-y" so he started the first of three rounds of laser scar removal treatment along with a couple injections of anti-inflammatory. The pain I'm having has felt the same for about nine months. Out of 1-10 I'd consider it a 5/6. Any suggestions on what may be going on here?

Jeffrey Jumaily, MD · Answer

Situations like yours have been described before but they are uncommon. It is unclear what causes the pain. Often if the pain is significant, the implant is removed or repositioned (if it is touching the mental nerve). Unfortunately we do not always know why this occurs. Good luck

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD (retired) · Answer

Hi, I have performed many Chin Augmentations using chin implants for over 30 years.  From the photos, it's difficult to tell if the wing of the implant is significantly above the bottom edge of the jaw line.  I have placed chin implants through a small, curved incision under the chin, for many years in some very active people (SWAT, Military, LE, Professional Fighters) as well as many regular folks from all over the world.  The implant should be well healed after a few months without constant pain or numbness.  If however, one or both wings (edges) are impinging (placing pressure) on one or both of the mental nerves as they exit the lower portion of the jaw line...this can cause pain.  During implant placement, I use a thin retractor to place the edges (wings) of the implant right along the bottom edge of the jaw line in order to avoid the nerve(s).  This hypothesis can be tested by the surgeon that did your chin implant.  Ask him/her to inject a small amount (1-3cc's) of lidocaine at the spot where the mental nerve is located.  If after the injection, the pain is gone (this is a temporary fix), it's likely that the nerve is in contact with the implant.  The implant can be removed, the chin augmented with a dermal filler, left to heal for about 4-6 months and then another chin implant can be placed with the wings at a lower level such that they do not touch the nerve.  If the lidocaine does not remove the pain, then a dental type XRAY of the chin front and both sides would seem warranted to see if the implant is causing bone erosion or more likely bone stimulation...both are rare.  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.  In my opinion, you are a good candidate for chin implant surgery.

Hope this helps.

Still have chin implant pain after 1 year. Any suggestions on what may be going on here? (Photo)

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Everything you need to know about Chin Implant

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Still have chin implant pain after 1 year. Any suggestions on what may be going on here? (Photo)

Answers (2)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Chin Implant

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