Is My Chin Asymmetry After A Sliding Genioplasty Due to Muscle?

Q: Dr. Eppley, One year ago I got a genioplasty done. One side of my chin appears to be longer than the other which gives the appearance of my chin pointing towards the left. I prefer the length of my chin on the right which appears shorter and when I feel the left side it feels like soft tissue as opposed to a bone issue. I’ve not heard of only muscle work on the chin but is it possible? What can be done to correct the balance of my lower face?

A:If you had had a advancement sliding genioplasty and the chin is now asymmetric you assume, until proven otherwise, that this is a cant to the bone advancement and it is a bony issue no matter how it feels. To determine the anatomic basis of this post sliding genioplasty chin asymmetry you need a 3-D CT scan which will clearly show you the position of the advanced chin segment. It is not rare at all that a tilt in the bone position has occurred with the advancement.

Also you have correctly surmised that the concept of ‘chin muscle work’ to correct asymmetry is unheard of. And that probably is so because of the obvious reason but it does not exist in my experience.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Plastic Surgeon