Sliding Genioplasty

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am very happy with the buccal fat removal and perioral liposuction you did on me a few years ago. I still feel that my face lacks definition though and have been researching lower jaw surgery/sliding genioplasty and vertical lengthening chin implants and wondering if one of those procedures would be beneficial for me to get that angular, taut lower and mid facial structure that a lot of models have. A jaw/chin that has extra projection seems to produce a concavity in the para nasal area that think is really pretty…I know I have an overbite but it’s not severe and I am hoping to avoid having to go through orthodontics and jaw advancement IF a sliding genioplasty and/or a custom chin implant would yield the same results. I have attached some photos of the look I am aiming for (as well as one of myself for reference) and would like to know if you think I could get close to my “ideal” with a genioplasty/implant or if lower jaw advancement is really the best treatment (for aesthetic purposes only). I always feel myself involuntarily jutting my lower jaw forward (it feels more comfortable that way and it also makes my face look better). My face just looks better from ALL angles when I’m projecting my jaw forward. Since I’m already 31 I would like to get started right away, especially if the best choice is jaw advancement since I would have to have braces before and after that.

A: To best answer your question about chin lengthening, I have done imaging based on some old pictures that I have of you of a combination chin lengthening and small jaw angle implants for the more complete jawline effect. You definitely do not need to move the whole lower jaw with orthodontics. That would not produce the same result. The choice is really between a sliding genioplasty vs a custom V-shaped chin implant. Both theoretically could achieve the same longer chin, they are just two different ways to get there. You already have a pretty V-shaped chin and you are young so I am leaning towards the sliding genioplasty because it is more ‘natural’ and would even accentuate the V-shape of your chin. I simply put in the small jaw angles just to give you a little more width and squareness to the back of the jaw…which is what all those models also have.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana