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Chin Implant
Overview
When you look
at people who are considered attractive, whether they are
male or female, they have certain traits in common. One of
them is high cheekbones and a long, triangular appearance
to the lower face. A strong chin is a requirement in obtaining
this attractive triangular appearance. If you look at any
of the super models or sex symbols it is unlikely that you
will find any with a weak chin.
As unfair as it may be, a weak chin is
one of the first things that people notice as it sets the
tone for the whole face. People with weak chins are mistakenly
perceived as being un authoritative and less influential.
Fortunately, chin augmentation is very
predictable and effective with little downtime. It is performed
by making a small incision within the mouth and placing a
silicone implant directly on top of the chin. It can also
be done through an incision below the chin in conjunction
with a neck lift.
The results of the chin implant are very
impressive as it adds significantly to the contour and profile
of the face. In addition, by making the chin larger it makes
the nose appear relatively smaller and gives length to the
entire face, all of which significantly enhance facial appearance.
Some people have what is called retrognathia which means recessed jaw. In this case the entire jaw is
setback and may need to be repositioned forward. This is
a much bigger procedure and is not discussed here. For the
most part, however, a simple chin implant is all that is necessary.
 Dr. Cruise's philosophy regarding Chin Implant
 Chin augmentation can significantly improve the overall facial aesthetics in a patient with a weak chin. When I am evaluating a patient interested in a chin implant I will take a digital picture of him/her in profile. With this profile we can enlarge the chin digitally to see what the overall effect on the face would be. This is very comforting to the patient. They can see what an augmented chin would look like. This is very helpful for me so that I know how much augmentation that individual patient desires prior to stepping into the operating room. This is a situation where digital photography and body morphing truly help to understand what the patient wants and what provides the best appearance.
Benefits
A strong chin that projects as far forward
as the lower lip is important in creating a long, attractive,
triangular lower face in both men and women. The benefits
of a chin implant are many. Here are a few of them:
- Correction of a weak, underdeveloped
chin.
- Gives the lower face a longer, more
aesthetically pleasing triangular appearance.
- A strong chin creates a more attractive
profile.
- A weak chin gives the illusion of
a bigger nose.
- A strong chin creates a more attractive
neck profile and reduces the double chin appearance.
Possible complications
Complications with chin implants are rare. Complications, unique to chin implants, include mal position of implant, erosion of the bone underneath the implant, over or under projection of the chin, numbness of the lower lip, and infection.
Are
you a good candidate?
Good candidates
are people with small chins without a significant over bite
where the entire lower jaw is set back. If you have a significant
over bite it may be more appropriate to advance forward the
entire jaw which is a much more involved procedure. The best
way to decide if you can benefit from a chin augmentation
is to take a profile picture of your face and evaluate it.
Ideally, the chin should project as far forward as the lower
lip in women and even a little more so in men.
Another advantage of chin augmentation
for people with large noses is that by augmenting the chin
it gives the illusion that the nose is smaller in profile.
Also, the chin has a profound influence on the shape of the
neck. If your profile shows a weak jaw and a short, indistinct
neck, especially if you have a double chin, you
most likely would benefit from a chin implant.
Prior to surgery
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Medications. Certain
medications thin your blood and should not be taken within
3 weeks of surgery. The most notable is aspirin and aspirin
containing products. Vitamin E and many herbal products
also thin the blood and should not be used within 3 weeks
of surgery. Dr. Cruise will go over this more thoroughly
prior to the procedure.
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Sleep. It is important
to get a good night's rest prior to the procedure. If
you think this may be a problem, please, do not hesitate
to ask Dr. Cruise for something to help you sleep.
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Smoking. Please
do not smoke within 3 weeks before and after surgery.
Smoking has a profound effect on reducing wound healing
capabilities. It significantly increases the likelihood
for infection, wound healing problems, and scar formation.
It also affects your airway, therefore, making anesthesia
much more difficult.
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Eating. Do not
eat within 8 hours of surgery and do not drink within
6 hours of surgery. Please discuss all medications with
Dr. Cruise and the anesthesiologist.
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Washing. It is
a good idea to thoroughly wash your face the morning of
surgery and to not apply any makeup. It is extremely
important to brush your teeth very well the night before
and the morning of surgery. When you are brushing, it
is important to also brush your tongue, your gums, and
the crevice between your lower teeth and your lower lip.
It is highly recommended to use mouth wash as well to
decrease the bacterial count in your mouth.
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Arrival. It is
best to arrival on time so things run smoothly. Please
be sure to have someone else drive you home.
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State of mind. Remember, this should be a happy and exciting time. A
certain amount of nervousness is normal but you should
not be overly concerned. Dr. Cruise and ICRS are both
well trained and experienced. Excessive worrying can
actually be detrimental. You should discuss this with
Dr. Cruise prior to surgery so that something can be prescribed
to make sure you remain calm if you are an excessively
anxious person.
Anesthesia
ICRS uses only
board certified anesthesiologists to make sure you have the
best anesthesia possible. The anesthesiologist will discuss
with you what type of anesthesia is best for you. He/she will
take into consideration your medical history, the procedure,
and your personal wishes.
Chin implant surgery is normally done
under local with or without sedation unless it is done concurrently
with other procedures.
After
the procedure
The procedure itself will take about
1 to 1.5 hours.
Immediately. Right after the operation you will be watched for 1 or 2 hours
and encouraged to walk around. Dr. Cruise is a strong advocate
of good pain relief so you will be given as much pain medication
as necessary both immediately after the operation and for
the entire postoperative period. You will have tape applied
to the chin area. It is important to keep this tape in place
until you see Dr. Cruise in the office. You may have a small
amount of oozing within your mouth. You will be shown how
to gently rinse with mouth wash to take care of this. The
oozing will stop in about 2 days.
That evening. It is recommended that you take it easy. You should only
drink fluids so that you do not move your jaw that much.
It is recommended that you do not talk too much the first
week after implant surgery to minimize jaw movement. You
should take as much pain medication as necessary and try to
go to sleep early. It is best if you sleep with your head
elevated to promote proper lymphatic drainage and keep the
swelling down.
First
48 hours. You can take a shower the day after and
move around. Just remember to keep the tape in place, keep
your head elevated. Move your jaw as little as possible.
You should be eating only soft food that it easy to swallow.
First
week. The tape will remain in place for 1 week. At
this time, the implant is somewhat secure but mal position
can occur as late as 6 weeks from surgery so be careful not
to bump your chin. Be sure to finish your antibiotics.
Beyond. Swelling will not completely resolve for about 3 months but
the majority of it will be gone by 2 weeks. If you have any
numbness in your lower lip it should resolve by 3 months.
Recovery
time
Some people with sedentary jobs go back
to work after 2 days. If your job, however, requires strenuous
activity it may take as long as 3 weeks to return to work.
Most people return to work in about 3 to 5 days. Remember,
you will have tape on your jaw for 7 days.
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