Sliding Genioplasty

Q: Dr. Eppley,  Will a reduction sliding genioplasty make my chin pointier or wider from front view? And who benefits from the double sliding genioplasty? Is it twice as expensive as a normal one? Lastly, if I opted for chin widening, where does the bone graft come from? Thanks a lot.

A: A sliding genioplasty is a procedure that can be done various ways to create numerous changes to the chin. It can make the chin wider or more narrow from the front view depending upon how it is done and the technique used. There is virtually no reason today for a double sliding genioplasty. That sliding genioplasty technique was used decades ago before plates and screw were used for bone fixation. When there was only wire bone fixation used, large horizontal chin movements were best stabilized by this double cut osteotomy technique. There is no need for that sliding genioplasty technique today. When widening the chin a bone graft can be harvested from the patient or a cadaveric bone graft can be used. If harvested from the patient the best source would be from the back part of the jaw from inside the mouth.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana