Chin Augmentation

What is chin augmentation?

A "normal facial appearance" comes from the balance between all elements of the face, including nose, cheeks, cheekbones and chin. When any of these elements are unbalanced by being larger or smaller, flatter or rounder, this can look unusual, or even "abnormal". For some people, having an unbalanced facial appearance can have a detrimental and some times devastating effect on their quality of life.

One extremely important point is the harmony in the balance between in profile somebody’s nose and somebody’s chin, so for some people who think they have a big nose they may only have a slightly too long nose but they may have a very small chin and vice versa. Those people who think they have a very small nose might actually have a slightly small nose but may also have a large chin and in profile the balance between these two is an extremely important aesthetic balance to achieve.

A chin augmentation can be formed by either using a chin implant or by re-shaping the chin bone to give the jaw a stronger or more defined look. An implant where used, is placed directly on top of the bone through an incision on the inside of the lower lip so that there are no external scars.

A re-shaping of the chin bone is called a genioplasty. This is done through an incision on the inside of the lower lip and directly re-shape the bone. The advantage of this over the implant is that it involves no artificial material.

Who would be suitable for chin augmentation?

Some facial features do not stop growing until the age of 16, so surgery before this age is unwise. Patients should be physically fit, healthy and well, to minimise risks of having surgery. As surgery is performed from inside the mouth, a healthy lower jaw and teeth are vital to avoid cross infection.