GENIOPLASTY (CHIN SURGERY)

Before After Before After
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Before After

Overview

The chin is an important component of the lower face aesthetics. The aesthetics of the chin should be evaluated in relation to the appearance and proportion of the face. Emphasis is placed on proper facial balance. A disproportionately small chin gives an impression of ‘weak’ lower jaw whereas an overtly large chin may make the lower face appears too masculine. Generally, women prefer a smaller, rounder (sometimes pointed) chin, while men prefer a larger and more angular chin.

Genioplasty, or chin surgery, is a surgical procedure performed to reshape the chin. Genioplasty can be performed to reduce a large chin by osteotomy technique (reduction genioplasty). Genioplasty can also be performed to enhace a small chin by using chin implant or bone graft (augmentation genioplasty). Genioplasty helps to create a harmonious balance to the overall facial appearance.

Chin is also possible to be augmented by filler injection

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Objectives

Augmentation genioplasty
• To enhance a small chin in order to create a longer and more protruded chin

Reduction genioplasty
• To reduce the size of the chin in order to create a chin shorter and less protruded.

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Preoperative Preparation

• Treat and stabilize all existing medical conditions, if any
• Stop smoking at least one week before surgery
• Stop one week before surgery
- All supplements that contain vitamin E, ginseng, ginko, garlic, fish oil and other ingredients that encourage bleeding during surgery
- Medicine that exacerbate bleeding during operation such as aspirin, NSAIDs and warfarin. Consult the physician who prescribed the medicine.

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Surgery

Reduction Genioplasty
Duration: 2-3 hours
Anaesthesia: General anaesthesia
When to Go Home after Surgery: Usually go home the same day, sometimes one night stay
Recovery Time: 1-2 weeks
Technique: through a small incision inside the mouth, one of the following procedures can be performed:

1. Shaving of the protruded part of the chin by burring technique. This method is only suitable for cases with mild to moderate protrusion.
2. For more advanced cases, the protruded part of the chin is cut and set back to a more posterior position. Part of the chin bone may be removed. The bone is then fixed with mini-plates and screws.

Augmentation Genioplasty

Duration: 1-3 hours
Anaesthesia: Local anaesthesia with sedation for chin implant or general anaesthesia for osteotomy genioplasty
When to Go Home after Surgery: Usually go home the same day, sometimes one night stay
Recovery Time: 1-2 weeks
Technique: through a small incision inside the mouth, one the following procedures can be performed:

1.Use of chin implant. A relatively minor procedure, a silicone or Medpor chin implant is inserted onto the chin bone to augment the chin

2.Osteotomy genioplasty: The lower part of the chin bone is cut and repositioned. Bone graft harvested elsewhere in the body is used to augment the repositioned chin bone and fixed with miniplate and screws

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Recovery

• Swelling usually lasts around 2 weeks
• A compression dressing is applied on the chin for 4 days
• Cold compression for first 3 days to reduce swelling followed by warm compression after 3 days.
• Take analgesics, antibiotics and antiseptic oral gargle prescribed
• Elevate the head while sleeping to reduce swelling
• Soft diet during the one week after operation.