If Your Mental Nerve is Very Low on Your Chin Can You Still Have a Sliding Genioplasty?

Question

I can fill with my fingers my mental nerve in my chin. I have a short chin vertically and the mental nerve feels as if it is almost at the bottom of my bone. With my understanding of sliding genioplasty, the mental nerve is usually above where the cut is made. But when I feel with my fingers through my skin, I feel the nerve and it is basically at the very bottom of my chin. Would this cause a problem with having a sliding genioplasty done? Would it increase risk of nerve damage? Thank you!

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

I doubt very highly that you are feeling the mental foramen/nerve. It is never as low as at the inferior border. I would get a simple panorex x-ray which will show you where the mental foramen is. I suspect that your mental nerve is at least 1 cm above the inferior border and you should have no problem getting a sliding genioplasty done with the typical low risks of permanent nerve injury.

Gerald Wittenberg, MSc, DMD (retired) · Answer

The position of the nerve does vary; but it is easily visualized on the xray; and especially at surgery where it is directly visible, if the surgeon wants to see its position (sometimes it is best to avoid exposing it). Also, the surgery can be designed for many positions of the nerve so not to worry.

If Your Mental Nerve is Very Low on Your Chin Can You Still Have a Sliding Genioplasty?

Answers (2)