Medium or Large Chin Implant? (Photo)

Question

I'll be getting a rhinoplasty done soon, and the doctor also recommended a chin augmentation. He said he wasn't too sure if a medium or large would fit best and most likely wouldn't be certain until my chin is open and he can see how much pocket room he has to work with. (Left) What I currently look like and (Right) The photoshopped version of what I should look like post-surgery, (both my nose and chin). In order to achieve this new chin, would you recommend medium or large implants?

William Portuese, MD · Answer

The size and the shape of the  chin  implant is determined and time of the examination and consultation, not during surgery. Chin implants are manufactured in a large array of sizes and shapes, by several different companies, each with their own specifications. In our practice, we have been using Implantech solid silicone chin implants for over 25 years with an excellent success rate. These implants are can be custom carved when necessary to match patient's unique anatomy. In our practice, most implants that we use are sized small or medium, not large. For diagrams of the implants themselves, many before-and-after chin implant results, please see the link and the video below

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

You decide the size of a chin implant before surgery using computer imaging of how much change that you want. You do not do it based on pocket room as any amount of implant space can be created. Your imaged results clearly show a medium size not a large size chin implant.

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

Hi, I have performed many Rhinoplasty Surgeries combined with Chin Augmentations using chin implants for over 30 years.  From the photos, your chin is weak and the attached video illustrates how I decide what size chin implant should be used to provide the proper aesthetic chin projection.  An experienced Chin Implant Surgeon can tell immediately what size, shape and placement is required to provide the proper aesthetic projection to the chin....it has nothing to do with what "size pocket" can be created.  The reality of chin implant surgery is that the "implant pocket" can be created to accommodate chin implants size small to extra large, though I routinely use Small and Medium which work extremely well.
  When the chin is weak, this 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.

Medium or Large Chin Implant? (Photo)

Answers (3)