Does My Mentalis Strain Need Chin Or Jaw Advancement?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I believe I have a mentalis strain, my chin starts to dimple and looks somewhat “bubbly.” My chin looks pretty short and recedes to me , but I am happy with the size my lower jaw except for the receding and the strain. Will my lower jaw have to be wider to fix the problem or can i just simply have my jaw  moved forward enough to fix the problem without having to change the size of my jaw?

A: Most mentalis strains are the result of a short lower jaw, a horizontal bone deficiency. This makes the mentalis muscle ‘overwork’ to try and achieve lip competence. Whether this is best treated by a lower jaw advancement or just a chin augmentation depends on many factors including one’s existing occlusion (bite), how horizontally deficient the chin position is and what effort one wants to put in to treating the problem. The width of the lower jaw/chin has no impact on the cause of the mentalis strain or in the treatment of it.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana