Secondary Genioplasty Surgery

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in secondary genioplasty surgery. I really hope you can help me out. I had jaw reduction in South Korea two months ago, where only the outer layer of my bone was cut off. I am grateful to myself that no bone angles were cut off but a problem I didn’t think I would encounter has arisen.

The back outer cortex part of the jaw was cut pretty evenly but I’m afraid I cant say the same for the sides of my chin. The right side is perfect and exactly the way I wanted it. However, the left side has been slightly more overshaven, and dents inwards, especially when I smile and the tissues are stretched back.

It’s especially visible in photos and makes my lower face look asymmetrical. I think if it was just slightly more built out, it would have been perfect. What options do I have to do this?

Is there some sort of permanent injectible filler or bone filler that could be used to just to build out this area very very slightly. It’s not a major augmentation but I would feel so much more at peace if it could be slightly more build out. 

I know they use some sort of paste in sliding genioplastyto hide the notch or dent in the jawline. Can the same material be used to slightly build out the overshaven jaw cortex in this area?

A: To answer your question about secondary genioplasty surgery, a variety of materials can be used to fill in the dent behind the left side of your chin. An injectable approach will not work for a permanent effect since there are no truly effective and completely safe permanent injectable fillers. Hydroxyapatie cements or ePTFE sheets can be placed intraorally to build out the overshaved chin area.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolisk Indiana