Chin Augmentation

Introduction to Chin Augmentation

The chin plays a crucial role in creating facial harmony and balance. Small or underdeveloped chin results in a less well-defined jaw and neckline, and can also make the nose appear larger than it is. Seattle Face & Skin strives to give our patients a stronger, more pronounced facial appearance with Chin Augmentation in Seattle. To learn more about the treatment and what options it can provide you, please keep reading below.

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.

What are the Benefits of Chin Augmentation?

Our Seattle Chin Augmentation patients have seen the following benefits from their surgery:

• Better balanced nose and chin, improving total facial harmony
• Improved profile appearance
• Increased width or height of the chin
• Minimizing the appearance of a double chin
• More attractive, triangular jaw shape
• Strengthened chin appearance

Who are the Best Candidates for Chin Augmentation?

Patients whose lower jaw (mandible) does not project as far forward in relation to the remainder of the face and neck are the primary candidates for chin augmentation. The lack of lower jaw projection results in a blunted, less defined neckline, and chin augmentation lengthens the jawline, helping to create a more defined neck angle. Chin deficiency may also make the nasal tip appear long (over-projected), and patients seeking a rhinoplasty because of an over-projecting tip, may also be a candidate for a chin implant at the same setting as a rhinoplasty.

What’s the First Step?

The initial consultation centers around your goals of possible chin augmentation. A full head and neck examination is performed followed by a discussion of how best to meet your vision.

During your consultation, a variety of techniques for chin augmentation may be discussed. A method is chosen that results in the best cosmetic and functional outcome for you. Pre and post-operative examples of other similar patients are often reviewed. The details of the procedure and post-operative care are explained, and any questions you may have are answered. If a plan is confirmed to move forward with surgery, you meet with our patient care coordinator to schedule a surgery date.

Before your surgery, you may have one more pre-operative visit. This visit typically involves a pre-operative history and physical at our office. This visit is performed to assess any medical issues you may have and to ensure that your surgery is conducted most safely. Pre and post-operative instructions are reviewed, and this visit is also an opportunity for you to ask additional questions that may have arisen after your initial consultation.

What to Expect on the Day of Chin Augmentation

Once in the pre-operative area, you will meet the nursing and anesthesiology staff who will take care of you during your procedure. Your surgeon will meet with you and your family before the procedure to review the procedure and discuss any last-minute questions you have. After the procedure is performed, you will be taken to the recovery room. You will have a facial dressing placed that may be removed the next day at your post-operative visit or home by you or your caretaker. All chin augmentation procedures are performed as outpatient surgery, and you will be sent home with detailed post-operative instructions and pain medication. We will call you on the night of surgery to ensure that you are doing well and to answer any questions you may have.

Chin Augmentation Recovery

After your surgery, a dressing will be applied that will need to remain in place for two or three days. You should arrange for a family member or friend to give you a ride home in case you are still experiencing some of the effects of the anesthesia. You should expect to experience some tenderness, but Dr. Bhrany will prescribe you some temporary medication to help with any post-operative discomfort.

Most patients feel a stretched, tight sensation after the surgery, but this is temporary and should subside in about a week. The medication that was prescribed should help alleviate this feeling. There will also be a limited ability to chew at first, so you should prepare to have a diet of liquids and soft foods the first few days after your procedure. You should avoid any rigorous activity in the first few weeks, but should be able to resume normal activity after 10 days.

How Much Does Chin Augmentation Cost in Seattle?

The cost of a Chin Implant in Seattle will vary depending on your particular needs, the type of anesthesia used, in addition to a few other factors. The best way to find out the full cost of your procedure is to schedule your consultation with Dr. Bhrany. Once he has your surgical plan figured out, our Patient Coordinator can provide you with a pricing sheet that breaks down how much everything will be.

Why Choose Us?

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.

Schedule Your Consultation

Dr. Bhrany has helped many patients redefine themselves and achieve that ‘perfect’ profile appearance. If you are in the Seattle area and would like to find out more about the procedure and how it can help you, we encourage you to contact us today! You can request a consultation through our website or call our office at (206) 599-3223.