Would A Sliding Genioplasty Be Better Than My Current Chin Implant?

Q: Dr. Eppley, In the summer of 2019, I had chin augmentation surgery (implant), hoping to alleviate the aesthetics of lip incompetence (including a ‘gummy smile’). Unfortunately, i wasn’t aware that sliding genioplasty may be a more appropriate surgery. The implant has, to my eye (which may be seeing it altogether wrongly) added length rather than projection and seems to sit at an odd angle; I can feel the tail on one side extending to the jaw but not on the other side. I saw a local oral surgeon here and he took the attached X-rays. I would be appreciative of your opinion on the position of the implant and whether the sliding genioplasty might be more successful. 

A: While plain x-rays are not the best method to visualize an implant on the facial bones, the lateral cephalometric x-ray does show a shadow of the implant on the lower edge of the bone. So your supposition of the implant position appears to be correct. With the implant position on this area of the chin bone it is certainly not providing any horizontal chin projection and never had a chance to improve your lower lip incompetence. It would be very fair to say a sliding genioplasty could do much better.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon