What Secondary Chin Correction Do I Need After Orthognathic Surgery?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Before my LeFort and sliding genioplasty operation I had a very bad malocclusion but they only worked on the top jaw. It just seems my mandible is still retruded. If I go through cosmetic chin augmentation I wouldn’t want my face long like it once was. I have been told that my sliding genioplasty was 3 mm and I think it should have been 10 mms.

A: Thank you for sending your pictures and detailing your surgical history. The short version of your current situation is:

1) Your chin is still horizontally short.

2) Only a postoperative cephalometric x-rays can answer how much chin augmentation was actually and how much more can be done.

3) Further chin augmentation should be done by a repeat sliding genioplasty not an implant

4) A sliding genioplasty is far preferred in your case because it is the only chin augmentation procedure that can vertically shorten her chin as well as bring it toward AND it will pull the submental musculature forward helping to thin out the  submental area of the neck a bit.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana