Sliding Genioplasty Reversal due to Chin Tightness

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had orthographic surgery and a sliding genioplasty 5 months ago. I am very happy with the outcome of my jaw but HATE my chin and want to have it undone. Since the surgery I have extreme tightness in my chin, which prevents me from moving it, smiling correctly, and even makes it hard to speak sometimes. I am assuming it is scar tissue. I am wondering how much worse this will be after having another surgery to put my chin back to its original position. I am terrified of being worse off. The tightness has not improved at all since about 1 month post op. Will having the genioplasty reversed make the scar tissue worse? If so, is there anyway to have that fixed after a second surgery? 

A:The answer to your question cannot be predicted beforehand although making it worse seems unlikely. But if you don’t like the look of your chin and the tightness has not improved, it would seem you have little choice but to partially or totally reverse it. (sliding genioplasty reversal) I would seem little risk of making anything worse by doing so and it would be logical to assume that both the appearance and the tightness would be improved by doing so.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana