Chin Implant Removal

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in chin implant removal surgery. I had cosmetic surgery last year for cheek and chin implants. I was pleased with the experience and I am very happy with the cheek implants. However, I do not like the chin implant. The chin implant was very uncomfortable for the first few months and it took about 7 months for the swelling to completely go away. After the swelling had gone, I still did not like the look or feel of the implant. I decided to wait a few more months to see if the situation would change but it has not. I think it looks too bulbous and it still feels quite stiff.

The implant was put in from the chin. I would want to leave it out. Please find pictures attached how my chin looked before the implant (one year ago) and with the implant (now). Just to keep you in the picture, the reason for the chin implant was to help balance my face as I have quite a large overbite. After getting the implant, I don’t think that it really does balance my face and I have since been informed that this is because I would actually need a jaw surgery to improve the look of the overbite, not an implant. So, after the implant is removed, I will plan to get the jaw realignment surgery needed to correct the overbite. 

A: Thank you for sending your pictures and providing the details of your surgical experience. From the submental incision the Medpor chin implant and any screws used to secure can be removed. Be aware that there may be some adverse aesthetic sequelae from its removal. Not that the chin tissues have been stretched out with the implant (which I would bet is not a small one), they will not retract back down completely. Thus you will likely develop some soft tissue chin sagging. (ptosis) To avoid this after chin implant removal problem, the soft tissues of the chin will need to be tightened back down to the bone at the time of the implant removal. (chin ptosis repair) This is not a problem that will be solved later by jaw advancement surgery since that affects the teeth position by the whole mandible coming forward. Such a bone movement will have no impact on the chin bone-soft tissue relationship even though the chin comes forward as the whole jaw moves forward.

I will have my assistant Camille pass along the cost of the surgery to you by tomorrow.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana