At Seattle Face & Skin, our team is led by Dr. Amit D. Bhrany, a double board-certified in Facial Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology (Ear Nose, and Throat Surgery) and a member of AAFPRS (American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery). After earning his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and doctorate in medicine from Boston University, he completed his residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Washington (UW). Dr. Bhrany then spent two years of additional sub-specialty training, developing skills for cosmetic facial plastic surgery, reconstructing all aspects of the head and neck, as well as head and neck cancer surgery and microsurgical reconstruction after being awarded fellowships in Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and Facial Plastic Surgery at UW. Our aim is to partner with our patients and provide the best possible care for aesthetic facial rejuvenation and reconstruction. From the moment you contact our office, we focus on your needs to ensure you fully understand the possibilities, limitations, and opportunities available to produce the best outcome for you.
What is Chin Augmentation?
Chin augmentation (mentoplasty) creates a more defined jawline that also improves neck contour. Advancing the chin can also provide a better balance between the projection of the nose and the lower face. Chin Augmentation is typically achieved with either the placement of a chin implant (made of Gore-Tex or silicone) or by moving a portion of the lower jaw bone forward without changing the position of the teeth (sliding genioplasty). Both techniques can be used successfully to improve chin position, but augmentation with an implant is simpler and as effective in the appropriate candidate. The implant is placed through a minimally noticeable incision underneath the chin or through an incision in the mouth.
The chin appears small due to a lack of growth of the lower jaw or because the lower jaw is positioned too far back in relation to the upper jaw (maxilla). These abnormalities can not only lead to appearance issues but also how the teeth come together (occlusion). For those without functional issues (ie chewing problems), chin augmentation provides reliable improvements in the facial profile. If there are significant functional problems, orthodontic or jaw re-positioning surgery may be necessary as opposed to chin augmentation alone.
Chin augmentation can also be useful for treating lower facial and neck changes with age. The aging process of the jaw and its overlying soft tissue result in fullness under the chin (submental fullness), jowling along the jawline, and also the formation of a slightly more subtle depression in front of the jowl, called the pre-jowl sulcus. While these changes can be improved with a face and neck lift and, or neck liposuction, the addition of a chin implant at the same setting can result in a more dramatic improvement in the jaw and neckline.
