Chin Reduction Surgery
Chin reduction surgery is a procedure to decrease the length, width or overall size of your chin. It can help your chin appear more balanced with the rest of your facial features.
What is chin reduction surgery? Chin reduction surgery is a procedure to reduce the size of your chin. You may have this procedure if you feel your chin is very long, wide or projects too far past your nose. The surgery can help improve the balance between your chin and your other facial features. Chin reduction surgery is also called chin shaving surgery or mentoplasty.
Who gets chin reduction surgery? You may get chin reduction surgery if you have: Congenital (present at birth) deformities of your chin bone or jaw. Macrogenia (large chin). Prognathism (protruding jaw). “Witch’s Chin.”
Who is a candidate
for chin reduction surgery?
The ideal
candidate for chin reduction surgery is someone who:
Doesn’t smoke.
Has realistic
expectations about the results of surgery.
Is old enough to
have reached full skeletal maturity, so their bones have stopped growing (early
adulthood).
Is physically
healthy.
Has good teeth
alignment.
Can chin reduction
surgery be combined with other procedures?
Depending on your
goals, a healthcare provider may recommend combining chin reduction surgery
with other procedures, including:
Double chin
surgery.
Facelift
(rhytidectomy).
Facial
feminization surgery.
Facial
reconstructive surgery.
Jaw orthognathic
surgery.
Neck lift.
Nose reshaping
(rhinoplasty).
What’s the
difference between chin reduction surgery and chin augmentation?
Chin reduction
surgery reduces the size of your chin, while chin augmentation enhances the
size of your chin, making it more prominent or defined. A chin implant is the
most common way to reshape your chin during augmentation, but sometimes, your
own jawbone is used to achieve the augmentation.
What happens
before chin reduction surgery?
Your healthcare
provider will give you detailed instructions on preparing for chin reduction
surgery. They may:
Ask you to stop
taking certain medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin.
Do blood tests to
make sure you’re healthy enough for surgery.
Order X-rays or
other imaging scans of your chin and jaw to plan your surgery.
Recommend a plan
to quit smoking.
Take photos of
your chin to compare the results after surgery.
What happens
during chin reduction surgery?
You receive
general anesthesia for chin reduction surgery. This type of anesthesia puts you
to sleep, so you don’t feel any pain during the procedure. Chin reduction
surgery can take anywhere from one to three hours. Your surgeon:
Makes an incision
(cut) inside of your mouth, under your chin or both.
Uses surgical
tools to shave or cut away part of your chin bone.
Shapes your chin
so it’s symmetrical with your other facial features.
Stitches the
incision closed.
What happens after
chin reduction surgery?
Chin reduction
surgery is usually an outpatient procedure, so you go home the same day as your
surgery. Your healthcare provider will give you specific instructions about
oral care and/or cleaning and taking care of your incision.
What are the
benefits of chin reduction surgery?
Chin reduction
surgery can give your facial features a more balanced, symmetrical look. It may
also help improve discomfort from an overbite or other dental malocclusions
(misaligned teeth) when combined with orthognathic (jaw) surgery.
What are the risks
of chin reduction surgery?
Potential risks of
chin reduction surgery include:
Allergic reaction
to anesthesia.
Bleeding.
Blood clots.
Infection.
Numbness around
your chin or jaw.
Scarring.