What Is The best Method To Lengthen The Lower Third of My Face?

Q: Dr. Eppley, So this is what my profile looks like right now, primarily trying to get height in the lower third, and just wanted to know what my options are. I do think a bimax with maxillary downgraft would probably be my best option but I’m trying to avoid a very invasive procedure like that. Was more thinking of genio with chin implant for some verticality but not sure how good that would look.

Is there any implant+genio approach that would be able to get me sufficient height in the lower third or would orthognathic be my only option for that?

A:If the goal is vertical facial lengthening you’re not going to find a Bmax procedure with downgrafting  very favorable as this Is going to on lengthen your midface with potentially excess tooth show. So beyond that being a very invasive procedure it probably is not going to be that aesthetically beneficial and may have adverse tradeoffs

Jaw osteotomies aside you then have to decide whether it is vertical chin lengthening alone or total jawline lengthening that you desire. Vertical chin lengthening can be done by a bony genioplasty or an implant depending upon how much vertical length you actually need. If the goal is total jawline lengthening then a custom implant would be required to do so which may or or may not be combined with a bony genioplasty depending upon how much vertical chin length is needed.

To help illustrate these basic vertical lengthening concept I have attach some initial imaging showing the differences between chin only in total jawline vertical lengthening.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon