What Is Mentoplasty?
Chin surgery is used to reshape or resize the chin. The procedure can improve facial proportions and ensure the neck and jawline complement the rest of the face.
Dr. Azizzadeh recognizes the impact of chin surgery on a patient’s facial appearance, and he evaluates his patient before recommending this treatment. He recommends chin surgery if he believes the procedure can help his patient achieve a chin that looks proportional to the eyes, cheeks, and other facial features. Also, Dr. Azizzadeh sometimes recommends mentoplasty be performed at the same time as other surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation procedures.
Types of Chin Augmentations
There are two types of mentoplasty:
- Reduction: Involves the removal of excess chin bone or moving the jaw bone to alter the shape of the face. Chin reduction is often used to make the overall facial appearance softer.
- Augmentation: Usually involves a surgical implant; however, the jaw also can be moved into place as part of an augmentation procedure. Augmentation of the chin is generally performed to improve an weak chin.
The goal of any chin procedure is to ensure that a patient can enjoy a healthy, beautiful facial appearance. Therefore, Dr. Azizzadeh analyzes a patient’s facial appearance to determine if chin reduction or augmentation is the best option. If Dr. Azizzadeh believes his patient can benefit from a reduction or augmentation procedure, he then crafts a treatment plan to deliver the intended results.
How Is a Chin Reduction Performed?
Dr. Azizzadeh may recommend a chin reduction if the chin is too prominent. In this scenario, the surgeon will shave and shape the mandible, or lower jawbone, to help an individual get the best results possible.
Two forms of chin reduction are available:
- Direct Reduction: Excess bone is removed from the chin with a burr.
- Sliding Genioplasty: Excess bone is cut, moved backward and held in place with metal screws.
Chin reduction is an intricate procedure, and Dr. Azizzadeh wants his patient to understand what to expect during treatment. As such, Dr. Azizzadeh discusses chin reduction surgery with his patient and responds to any concerns and questions. This allows the patient to learn about chin reduction surgery and decide if the procedure falls in line with their facial rejuvenation treatment goals.
How Is a Mentoplasty Performed?
If the chin is out of proportion relative to other facial features, Dr. Azizzadeh may recommend an augmentation procedure to enhance the size of the chin. This surgery generally involves the use of implants that consist of autologous bone collected from an individual’s pelvis or rib. Or, the implant may consist of synthetic materials.
A sliding genioplasty may also be completed in conjunction with mentoplasty. In addition, chin augmentation may be performed in combination with rhinoplasty or lip augmentation.
Dr. Azizzadeh can determine if augmentation of the chin — on its own or in conjunction with other facial rejuvenation procedure — can benefit a patient. He develops a comprehensive treatment plan for his patients to ensure they can revitalize their facial appearance and enjoy long-lasting treatment results.
Different Types of Chin Procedures
There are several types of chin procedures, including:
- Chin Enlargement: Leverages chin implants to supplement the existing bone at the front of the jaw between the teeth.
- Chin Reconstruction: Allows a person to repair a broken, dislocated or fractured jaw.
- Chin Liposuction: Enables an individual to remove fat from the chin (submental fat under the chin), resulting in an improved jawline and enhanced facial proportions.
Dr. Azizzadeh can explain how these different types of chin procedures are performed and their benefits. In doing so, Dr. Azizzadeh can help patients decide which of these procedures may be used to improve the facial appearance.
Recovery from Chin Procedures
A chin augmentation patient may experience swelling and bruising after chin surgery. Dr. Azizzadeh will provide recommendations to help this individual manage post-surgery symptoms. He will also offer expert guidance before, during and after chin surgery and help a patient plan for a procedure. To make the recovery process as easy as possible, Dr. Azizzadeh and his staff will provide patients with details about chin surgery recovery as well as tips to speed up the process.
Are You a Candidate for Chin Surgery?
The ideal candidates for chin surgery may display the following facial features:
- Fleshy neck
- Pointed or squared chin
- Prominent nose
- Recessed chin
- Weak chin
- Double chin
A mentoplasty candidate must be in good health for chin surgery. As such, a facial plastic and reconstructive chin surgeon like Dr. Azizzadeh will learn about an individual’s medical history during an initial consultation. If chin surgery proves to be too risky for an individual, the surgeon and patient will be able to explore alternative treatment options.
Chin Augmentation Surgery FAQs
Oftentimes, a big nose can make a normal chin appear small, or vice-versa. With a chin augmentation procedure, Dr. Azizzadeh ensures a patient’s nose and chin will complement one another perfectly.
Dr. Azizzadeh strives to help patients achieve a natural-looking appearance that brings balance to the face. He allocates time and resources to understand how a chin implant will affect the appearance of the nose and other facial features. By doing so, Dr. Azizzadeh ensures a chin augmentation procedure can help a patient achieve a beautiful and balanced facial appearance.
In certain instances, Dr. Azizzadeh may also recommend a rhinoplasty be performed in combination with a chin augmentation procedure. Together, these procedures may help a patient enhance his or her overall facial appearance.
A chin implant is designed to stay in place consistently. However, there may be rare instances where a chin implant moves out of position in the initial weeks after surgery. These instances generally occur before a patient fully recovers from the procedure.
If a chin implant moves out of position, it is important for a patient to contact Dr. Azizzadeh immediately. That way, Dr. Azizzadeh can help a patient put the chin implant back into its proper position.
Generally, chin augmentation surgery requires about one to two hours to complete. Each chin augmentation procedure is tailored to a patient, and the duration of surgery varies based on the individual.
Sometimes, patients wear a protective brace over the chin following chin augmentation surgery. The brace may be required for up to three days after treatment. Additionally, a patient may experience bruising, swelling and minor pain in the days following a chin augmentation procedure. These symptoms usually disappear on their own shortly after chin augmentation surgery.
Oftentimes, chin augmentation patients can resume their regular activities within about 10 days of treatment. Chin augmentation alters a patient’s appearance, and as such, it may take a patient a few weeks to adjust to his or her new appearance after surgery.
Chin augmentation surgery recovery often requires a patient to keep his or her head elevated as much as possible. Therefore, a chin augmentation patient may need to sleep with his or her head elevated after treatment.
It often helps to take at least two weeks off from work or school after chin augmentation surgery. This allows a chin augmentation patient to focus on his or her recovery. Also, if a chin augmentation patient works a physically demanding job, he or she may require extra time off from work may be required to ensure a successful recovery.
Dr. Azizzadeh uses an incision under the chin to insert an implant during a chin augmentation procedure. The incision is virtually invisible and provides Dr. Azizzadeh with the view he needs to ensure optimal treatment results.
Most patients enjoy the way they look after chin augmentation surgery. Conversely, if a patient would like to have a chin implant removed, the implant can be taken out of the chin at any time.
One of the benefits of a chin implant is it never has to be replaced. A chin implant is constructed from strong materials, and can last a lifetime.
Common chin augmentation surgery side effects include:
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Pain
- Discomfort
- Numbness
- Post-surgical scarring
Dr. Azizzadeh explains the potential side effects associated with chin augmentation surgery prior to treatment. He also works diligently to minimize risk and prevent surgery complications.
A chin implant helps an individual increase the projection of his or her chin. Yet it only increases the height of the chin by a limited amount.
Comparatively, a sliding genioplasty enables Dr. Azizzadeh to increase the height of a chin by any amount. At the same time, the procedure allows Dr. Azizzadeh to increase the chin’s projection and does not require any type of implant.
Deciding between a chin implant and sliding genioplasty can be difficult. Fortunately, Dr. Azizzadeh is happy to teach patients about both options. He even provides personalized treatment recommendations designed to help each patient achieve the best-possible facial rejuvenation results.