Chin Surgery & Chin Implant (Genioplasty) in Westchester County, NY

When patients desire a chin more in proportion to the rest of their face, they often turn to chin surgery—either a chin implant or a procedure called sliding genioplasty. In his Dobbs Ferry and Scarsdale, NY offices, Dr. Neal Goldberg is proud to offer a variety of surgical chin procedures to patients wishing to improve the proportion of their face.

• Chin implants can reshape the chin and improve projection
• Sliding genioplasty repositions bones in the chin to complement features

Am I a good candidate for chin surgery?

For patients who struggle with a face they feel is out of proportion, chin surgery, either a surgical bone procedure or an implant, is a viable option to create proportion and symmetry of the face.

Patients who elect to undergo chin surgery should be psychologically stable with reasonable expectations and a clear understanding of the risks and benefits. Patients whose microgenia is too severe or whose teeth are misaligned when the jaws are closed may not be good candidates for cosmetic chin surgery.

Patients who are not ideal recipients of chin implants may have their surgeon recommend sliding genioplasty to augment the chin and correct asymmetry of the chin.

What can I expect from the procedure?

When a chin implant is inserted, the surgeon will select the appropriate alloplastic implant to use. Under local or general anesthesia, the surgeon will make one of two incisions, either in the mouth or below the chin. A pocket will then be created for the implant and the implant will be placed in front of the jawbone. The surgeon will then use soft sutures and a dressing to close the incision.

A sliding genioplasty takes about 45 minutes to complete and is commonly done under general anesthesia. Either through an intraoral or extraoral incision, the surgeon will use a small saw to evenly cut the jawbone, minimizing possible trauma to the soft tissue. The bones will be fixed into the new position with either wires or plates and the incisions will be closed with dissolvable sutures.

What will my life be like after chin surgery?

Following either procedure, patients can expect immediate results but know it may take some time for the swelling to subside, though the implant is permanent.

With chin surgery, the patient should stick to a soft diet and elevate their head. Good oral hygiene is important and may include using an antiseptic mouthwash daily. Caution must be used when using a toothbrush.

After one week, the sutures used to close the incisions may be removed.

As with other surgical procedures, some side effects are possible and may include bleeding, infection, implant malposition/mobility, nerve injury, lip drop and over/undercorrection.

For more information about chin surgery, contact our Westchester plastic surgery practice.