Chin Implant

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have always had a long and narrow face that lacks definition and bothers me. I was also born with a recessed chin. Over the summer I decided to have a chin implant, but after waiting months for the swelling to go down, I don’t feel happy with the results. I feel my chin implant sits too high up (intraoral approach was used) both in looks and in function. I have not been able to close my lips without due strain since the surgery and I could this before the surgery. There’s no swelling or tightness left either. Not to mention they used the smallest implant possible, so it’s not that the implant is simply too large. Because of this I am afraid that the height of the implant and the nature of the oral incision could be to blame? I cannot find any answers online and my surgeon says t hat everything is fine. Thoughts? 

A: Intraoral chin implant placement has a known propensity to place the implant too high. If the chin implant does not sit down at the bottom of the chin bone, its aesthetic effect will not only be diminished but it can interfere with mentalis muscle function and a competent lip closure. Just based on the description of your symptoms, I suspect your conclusion about the location of the chin implant is correct. Chin implant revision would consist of repositioning of the implant to the proper position and repair of the mentalis muscle.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana