How Should My Chin Implant Replacement Be Done?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am a 30 year old male, I got an intraoral chin implant about 3 months ago to have a square shape and elongate my face a little. Unfortunately, It gave me more of a V shape to my face and I am not happy with the result. I was looking for a square masculine chin look. 

Also I believe the implant was either misplaced or inserted too high as it made my lower lip thin and the area became very tight and uncomfortable. 

I am looking to see if you can help me achieve this square look and also replace my existing implant. 

A: While I don’t know what type of chin implant was used but if it achieved a V shape then it clearly was not a square style chin implant and had no chance to create that desired effect.  Secondly the intraoral placement method would be exactly what you would not do if one of the chin augmentation goals was also to elongate the chin. This is very difficult to do intraorally unless one is very experienced at doing so, requires a specific type to do it and always needs screw fixation.

What you appear to have is an incorrect chin implant shape, was not positioned low enough and was never screwed in. This accounts for all of the symptoms that you describe.

What you know now is the following: 1) a submental implant placement method is needed for both removal of the existing implant as well as replacement with a new one and 2) a different style of chin implant is needed. Whether this should be a standard or custom chin implant design is open for discussion.

The two pieces of information that would be critical moving forward is some current non-smiling pictures of your face and 3D cone beam scan of your chin so we know exactly the shape and position of your current chin implant for my assessment. That information allows the following statement to then apply….’When you know precisely what doesn’t work well you then you know how to change it to be better.’

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana