Can I Get A Custom Chin Implant First and Then Custom Jaw Angle Implants Later?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am concerned that I will not be particularly happy with the standard, off-the-shelf chin implant. So depending on the price for a custom chin implant alone, I think I would like to go that route. How much do you think a custom chin implant would cost (CT scan, implant design, surgery, and all)? 

What is holding me back from getting the entire jawline are two main things: money (I don’t have $12,000-13,000 to spend at the moment for entire jawline) and also I’m a bit anxious about the intra oralsurgery. I don’t like the idea that if an infection develops, I might have to remove my entire jaw line, versus just the chin or one side of my jaw. 

My idea is since I’m really only interested in the projection in the chin at the moment, I was thinking about getting a CT scan, and getting a custom chin implant. And then later down the line, maybe a year or two, if I want to address the mandibular plane angle, I could use the same CT scan to get two custom mandibular angle implants. I don’t think I really need anything for the mid-jaw. I assume that if both the mandibular implants and the chin implants are custom and well tapered, that the gap between the two wouldn’t be noticeable.

I would only consider this approach, however, if the cost for the custom chin implant was considerably less than the entire jawline (maybe $5000-$8000). 

What are your thoughts on this?

A: What that is certainly a valid aesthetic approach to your chin/jawline concerns, a custom chin implant most likely does not cost considerably less than a total jawline implant. (for example you may think it would cost half as much for example) And that is because the the manufacturing costs for the implant are the same whether it is just a chin or the entire jawline. But to provide accuracy to that comment since I don’t precisely know that myself, I will have my assistant Camille pass along the costs of a custom chin implant to you tomorrow.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana