How Difficult Is It To Replace A Misplaced Chin Implant?

Q : I had a chin implant 9 years ago, when I smile its seems to be without form, like flat. And after X-rays I noticed that the implant is placed higher up where it should be (close to my teeth). A doctor told me it would be very laborious, because it would be two operations, one to remove the chin implant which would remain a hole, wait 3-6 months to heal the skin and the second to put the new implant from under the chin. Is there another solution? Thanks!

A: It is very common to have a chin implant that ends up being positioned too high on the chin bone when it is placed from inside the mouth and is not secured with a screw. When the implant is too high on the bone, it loses some of the projection or forward position of the chin that it would otherwise have.

Replacing a misplaced chin implant is fairly easy and can be routinuely done in a single operation. I have never heard of having to do it in two operations nor does that make any biologic sense to me. Going through a small submental (under the chin) incision, a new lower pocket can be made, the old implant removed, and a new chin implant placed and secured. In some cases, I have left the old chin implant where it was and just placed a new one beneath it. If someone has a deep labiomental crease, keeping a ‘spacer’ (old implant) high can help push that area out and prevent it from becoming deeper.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana