Will A Sliding Genioplasty Improve Lower Lip Incompetence?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Will a sliding genioplasty improve my lip incompetence? I would like my chin moved forward. My chin also looks long when I force my lower lip up to close my mouth. Would a slight vertical reduction be beneficial as well? First picture shows my lip incompetence (my teeth are touching) and second picture shows the increase in vertical length. Thanks for your time.

A: Besides a change in the horizontal position of the chin, you are describing what a sliding genioplasty can do really well…vertically shorten the chin and improve lip competence. By bring the chin forward and making it vertically shorter, the position of the mentalis muscle is changed and an upward push occurs on the lower lip. Together this produces improvement or complete elimination of any non-iatrogenic lower lip incompetence problem. It is now just a question of the different millimeters of movement, how much horizontal movement (probably 4 to 5mms) and how much vertically shorter (probably 3mms) in just looking at your profile picture.