When or if I Will Regain Lip Function After Chin Implant?

Question

I had a small chin implant placed through a small incision in my mouth 7 weeks ago. When the bandage came off 5 days later, I was shocked to see that the left side of my lip was paralyzed. While it has shown some improvement, it is far from functional. My lips look extremely asymmetrical, with my left side substantially smaller and more receded than the right. I had numbness on the left side also, but this is mostly gone. Have any physicians seen improvement after 7 weeks?

Mark Beaty, MD · Answer

Temporary numbness after placing a chin implant is fairly common, actual weakness of lip function less so. The weakness results from either disruption of attachments of the mentalis muscle or from stretch or injury to the nerve supplying the muscle. It is a good sign that you are seeing return of function. Discussing expectations with your surgeon will be helpful for assessing expectations.

Samir Shureih, MD · Answer

In general a sub mental incision is best for chin implant insertion (safer for muscle function ). Having some movement in the lower lip probably is a good sign that you may get all the function back with time. If after 3 months there is no function then will have to evaluate the mentalis muscle and its origin and insertion disruption

Donald Nunn, MD (retired) · Answer

The problem may be due to muscle detachment or to injury to the nerve to the muscle during the treatment. Generally this will improve over time and could take a few months. Follow up with your surgeon since only he/she knows what occurred during the treatment. Donald R. Nunn MD Atlanta Plastic Surgeon.

When or if I Will Regain Lip Function After Chin Implant?

Answers (3)