Can I Get A Chin Implant First and Then a Jawline Implant Later?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Upon further consideration, I think the implant I know I will absolutely need is a chin implant. I think that alone will make a significant improvement for. However, I feel that mandibular jaw angle implants may help too, but may not be absolutely necessary.

I think I would like to do a 2 step process where I first get a chin implant and then see how it looks, then maybe in a year after if I feel like I need it (and could afford it) maybe consider getting jaw angle implants.

I guess my question is: If I really wanted to do this in 2 steps (instead of the all in one chin/jawline implant), could I get nice results still? If so, would off-the-shelf implants suffice or do you think custom chin and mandibular implants would be the way to go.

I am very interested in working with you with regards to my chin and jaw improvement. Thank you for your time! Your responses have been appreciated immensely. 

A: A chin implant alone is just fine…as long as you realize what it can and can not do. it affects the chin and the chin only. If your definition of a ‘nice result’ is an isolated chin augmentation effect that you will achieve your goals.

Given your potential staged approach to the process, I would go with a standard chin implant first. I would only consider a custom implant approach if you decide to complete the jawline effect later….as many patients ‘learn’ a lot from their initial chin implant and often want to change that later as well. It is then that the whole custom jawline implant approach is taken.

It is very common in my experience that the chin implant, which could well be the end of the process also, serves a ‘toe in the water’ approach where some patients may graduate to the whole jawline augmentation approach later. When you are changing the structure of ones face and its subsequent appearance it is hard to know exactly what one wants until you ‘wear it for awhile’.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana