Vertical Lengthening Jaw Angle Implants

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in vertical lengthening jaw angle implants. I am curious if you have more before and after photos of men who have had the vertical mandibular implants. I have browsed your website and google image results. My doctor used the old school “lateral mandibular jaw angle†implants. The result was a rounded appearance from the front and side. I feel the vertical mandibular implant gives a sharper “L†shape. I also feel my jaw angle needs to be lowered slightly.

I like the sharp L shape of their jaw angle and then the jaw angle softly slopes into the chin angle. I see in your before and after photos that you lower the jaw angle completely for a continuous angle from the chin to jaw. I like how the chin slopes off fr the jaw angle.

I had the jaw implants removed because the incisions would not heal and I didn’t like the end results of how rounded it looked. You can see in the picture the jaw angle is lacking that L shape. I think my jaw angle would be a perfect candidate for the vertical mandibular implant. I love my chin implant. I was curious what size you would recommend. I know they come in three sizes. I would like a sharper jaw angle but not a continuous angle from the jaw to chin. I prefer the jaw angle that slopes into the chin.

A: Due to patient confidentiality the only before and after pictures that can be viewed as those patients that give consent to do so…and amongst male patients that is a very small percentage. Whomever has done so has already been posted.

When it comes to the vertical lengthening jaw angle implant most men use the large size. It is a standard implant so there is not an option to choose how it slopes into the chin, it will have an effect in that regard based on the patient’s anatomy. Only custom jaw angle implants afford the option to have potentially more control on such shape issues.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana