What Are The Right Dimensions For A Custom Jawline Implant?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have spoken with you in the past regarding jaw implants and chin implants. Through looking at your case examples, I feel as though custom implants produce the best results. Quite frankly, the results you are getting are incredible. 

In looking at your recent example: http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com/tag/male-custom-jawline-implant 

I was hoping you could tell me the dimensions of the implant for the jawline (vertical and lateral) as well as the chin, just so that I could get an idea of what what kind of changes are produced from a given size (though I know it will be different for each person). Also, is the recovery easier with a custom implant as opposed to an “off the shelf”?

A: Your assumption is correct about custom jawline implants on two counts. First, it usually does offer a significant aesthetic improvement over a three-piece jawline enhancement approach. This is not only because that it is one continuous piece, which is very much like the natural jawline, but being able to create the individual dimensions of the chin and jaw angle that best suits the patient can be a huge advantage over standard chin and jaw angle sizes. Second, the jawline dimensional changes that are used for each patient are unique to them. Thus, the implant dimensions used for one patient should not be attempted to be transferred to any other patient and assume they would get a similar result. Since they are no software programs that can tell the surgeon what any dimensional change of a custom designed implant will really look like in the patient, it takes a lot of experience to learn what will work for each patient. Thus I do not provide numbers for jawline implant measurements unless I am actually designing the implant for them.

The amount of tissue dissection for a custom jawline implant or a three-piece standard chin and jaw angle implant approach is really the same. Thus the amount of swelling that results and the recovery should be similar between the two implant approaches.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana