Is The Chin Wing Osteotomy A Good Jaw Augmentation Procedure?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Upon reading your jaw augmentation page I stumbled upon the Chin wing osteotomy. I was wondering if you do this procedure yourself.

A: I do perform the chin wing osteotomy provided the patient is properly qualified for it which requires two criteria:

1) That they understand that the chin wing osteotomy is an incomplete or partial jaw augmentation procedure. It does not change the jaw angle area in either width or vertical length. It provides moderate horizontal and vertical augmentation to the chin and body of the mandible but makes no changes to the posterior or jaw angle area. Think oif it as an extended sliding genioplasty noit a total jaw augmentation change. This is why it is appropriately called chin wing and not a jaw wing procedure.

2) A preoperative 3D CT scan is needed to determine the location of the inferior alveolar nerve in the lower jawbone and thus where to safely placed the osteotomy cut.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon