Vertical Chin Lengthening

Q: Dr. Eppley, I sent you some pictures not long ago and you kindly recommended a full custom jaw implant because my jawline is vertically deficient.

I wanted to ask your opinion about a genioplasty to obtain an increase in vertical height on my chin. Would this be a viable route to take ? And would it also decrease the mentolabial fold ? I understand you can only tell me so much from these pictures. I appreciate your answer Dr.

A: If you are looking only for a vertical lengthening of the chin, then an opening wedge intraoral genioplasty with an interpositional graft would achieve that nicely. This would probably be in the range of 6 to 8mms of vertical chin lengthening although it can be even greater up to 10 to 12mms. It can achieve an anterior vertical elongation of the chin just as well as a custom implant. It may not decrease the depth of the labiomental fold but at least it will definitely not make it any deeper. Be aware that a vertical lengthening genioplasty affects the chin and the chin only. It will have no effect on the jawline behind particularly that of the jaw angles.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana