Is A Sliding Geniplasty or A Custom Jawline Implant Better For Me?

Q: Dr. Eppley, which procedure(s) would be better suited for improving the aesthetics of my lower facial third, a sliding genioplasty or a custom wraparound chin implant?

I have very thin gums, and have had a gum graft performed to thicken an area where there was significant recession. Would this impact my eligibility to have a sliding genioplasty performed?

What is the most suitable procedure to address my subpar cervicomental angle? Would submental liposuction suffice for giving me a defined angle?

Is it possible to achieve 14mm of projection with a custom wraparound chin implant alone?

I look forward to hearing from you.

A:These are all great questions but without knowing what you look like I can only provide some limited answers:

1) A sliding geniopasty and a custom jawline implant have significant different aesthetic effects as one only affects the chin while the other one changes the entire jawline. So these are not directly comparable procedures.

2)  The incision for a sliding genioplasty is done on the lip side of the anterior vestibule not on the gingival side of it. Thus one’s periodontal status does not affect the ability to have a sliding genioplasty. But I would have to see a picture  of your front teeth and gums to provide a more qualified answer.

3) There are two basic procedures for improving the cervicomental angle of the neck, liposuction and a submentoplasty. A submentoplasty procedure is always superior to liposuction alone as it addresses the central platysma muscle and subplatysmal fat as well.

4) When you say 14mm projection I assume you are referring to horizontal chin projection. The amount of 14mm is right at the perimeter of how much stretch most people’s soft tissue chin pad can accommodate.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana