How Much Vertical Chin Reduction Can I Achieve?

Q: Dr. Eppley, How much vertical chin reduction can be achieved in my case by the intraoral wedge removal genioplasty?

A:Thank you for sending your chin pictures. While I haven’t yet seen a panorex x-ray to yet determine how much chin bone can be safely removed, I can predict at last 1 cm of vertical bone height would be reduced in the center. (which by definition has to taper out to the sides) But the real limiting factor in how much vertical chin reduction is seen on the outside is the overlying soft tissue which is obviously not removed. It can be compressed somewhat as the chin bone is vertically shortened but not in a 1:1 relationship to that of the bone removal.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana