What is the Best Way to Bring My Deficient Midface Forward?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I emailed with you approximately a year ago in regards to facial masculinization, I went through with the jawline augmentation (three pieces of Goretex around my jawline), cheek augmentation and paranasal implants and am now post-op 1 month. Although It looks better than before I still am not happy with the lower/middle part of my face. I am aware that I’m still a few months away from the final result, however I realized now after some more research (which I should have done before) that the problem is my maxilla. Because the maxilla is underdeveloped I don’t get the protrusion that I need which makes my face look flat and mouth/lips sunken in. I feel like the surgeon was a bit to conservative as I wanted it a bit bigger and this might explain why.

I guess I would need both the mandible and maxilla to move forward to get the desired result. From my research there are two ways of doing it, one is bimaxillary augmentation through surgery which is very expensive + higher risks not to mention having to wear braces which adds to the cost and maybe even removing the jawline augmentation which would be a waste.

The second is from the use of braces like “Fixed Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance” (FAGGA) or DNA Appliance and such. Although They might not make as big of a difference as i would like. Which do you think would be the best choice?

Here are pictures of what I think i would look like (i tried my best with Photoshop) postop is how I look now, example 2 and 3 is what I’m guessing i would look like after using FAGGA/DNA or imaxillary augmentation. I’m not sure if the nose gets pushed forward but i implemented that in example 3 anyways (even though I’m not a fan of the nose in 3, i still look a better there than what I do now).
Because I plan to get browbone/forehead augmentation in the future it could make my face look even more “flat” as i want more brow/forehead protrusion.

Are these augmentations unrealistic?

Do you perform Bimaxillary augmentation and if so what is the price range?

Thank you

A: My comments are as follows:

1) More healing time will only make your results look less significant as all swelling goes away and tissue contraction pulls the elevated tissues inward. In other words your results are only going to become more ‘conservative’.

2) What you lack is overall implant volume in the midface and jawline…which is to be expected when a patchwork approach is using just laying in thin sheets of Goretex. This approach is always bound to create a minimal type result. In essence there has been a mismatch between your aesthetic facial goals and the treatment approach used to try and achieve it. This is why custom implants made from a 3D CT scan is a far more effective treatment approach for increased facial projection.

3) Comparing orthognathic surgery and any type of orthodontic bone protraction is like comparing a bullet to the hydrogen bomb. One is very minimalistic and is never going to create your desired look and the other is far more effective but tremendously invasive.

4) While maxillary advancement surgery may be very effective you are talking about costs that will exceed $35,000 to do so.

5) Any forehead/brow bone reduction without further facial change below it, is going to make your lower face look even more retrusive as you have correctly noted.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana