What Is The Best Way To Lengthen My Chin?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am considering a jaw and/or chin augmentation procedure. I believe my chin would look better if increased length-wise, but I am unsure if a chin implant is able to achieve this (as opposed to the bone shift procedure). I am attaching some pictures so you can see my face from the front and side. I apologize about the poor lighting–I spent several months cultivating a beard, and these are the only pictures I have without the facial hair.

A:I have taken a look at your photos and feel that you are correct…your chin is deficient both horizontally and vertically. Your facial hair shows the vertical increase already and perhaps, consciously or subconsciously, this is why you grown it.  Either a chin implant or a chin osteotomy can create vertical chin lengthening but it depends on what you want the overall dimensions of the chin to be. A chin osteotomy will lengthen the chin but will also narrow it in width by doing so. (unless a simultaneously placed thin extended implant is placed along the bony margin at the same time) A chin implant can make the chin longer and wider (more square) but it would have to be a custom implant. There are no off-the-shelf chin implants that create that effect.