Genioplasty Surgery – All You Need To Know

The chin is the lowermost part of the lower jaw bone. In spite of being the lowermost bone of the face, it plays a critical defining role in establishing facial aesthetics. Its size, shape and projection are key factors in determining a favorable facial profile. Genioplasty Surgery decides whether you look masculine or feminine, young or old, long-faced or short-faced, bird-faced or witch-faced or with just the right amount of chin prominence – all contributing greatly to how you look and feel about yourself.

Genioplasty refers to the surgery of the chin bone – this procedure works at repositioning the chin bone as per your aesthetic requirement and is performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

What is the right age to opt for genioplasty?

The lower jaw including chin bone only reaches its final shape and position when we are adults, as late as late as up to 22 or 23 years of age. That is the age when your final facial profile is determined based on the final jaw bone size. Therefore, it is not advised to opt for this surgery before this age, as any results of the procedure could likely get affected or even reversed as the jaw continues to grow after the surgery.

Once your chin bone has reached its final position, it is important to determine your aesthetic needs and consult an expert maxillofacial surgeon to assess the right treatment course for you.

Important points to bear in mind before a Genioplasty Procedure

1. The right position and projection of the chin can work wonders for your facial profile – it can make you look more masculine or feminine, youthful, or old, more symmetrical to look at, give you a better front and side profile, and even help to get rid of the double chin that could be bothering you. In short, it is the means to get that perfect selfie you have always wanted.
2. Men and women are structurally different, and so are their chins. A masculine chin is larger, wider, more angular, and sharper. A feminine chin is rounder, softer, and slightly receded. These factors must be kept in mind while assessing your own chin requirements.
3. You can consider a genioplasty surgery if you feel that your chin is too protruding, too receding, too much on the right, too much on the left, too short, too narrow, too wide, then you can consult an expert maxillofacial surgeon as a likely candidate for a genioplasty.
4. It is really simple to perform the right assessment yourself at home before deciding to change your chin. You can take pictures while placing your face in the natural head position (you can attain this position by sitting in an upright position and looking into a distance or by looking at one point on the wall in front of you) – both the front angle and the side profile – to assess your chin projection and placement. You can also move your lower jaw front and back to see if the change in projection appeals to you. Not every chin projection needs correction, and this is a simple test for you to determine whether you need or want it.

How does Genioplasty Work?

Genioplasty, done right, aims at repositioning the chin bone to provide a more aesthetically pleasing, yet natural looking outcome for your face. Even a slight change in the position and placement of the chin bone can drastically improve your appearance. The chin bone can be placed to the left or right for better symmetry, high or low, bright forward or taken back, and made to look narrower or wider as the requirement may be.

Once the decision to opt for genioplasty is final, the patient and surgeon must together plan the surgery.

Planning for Genioplasty

Planning for genioplasty involves finalizing every step of the surgical procedure in advance. Scans are taken to determine the extent and direction in which the chin bone must be repositioned as per the patient’s aesthetic requirement, and what is feasible as part of the procedure.

With tremendous advances having been made in the field of surgery, simulations can be made during this phase to determine the final look, which helps the patient determine if the outcome is in sync with their expectations.

Once the patient approves the proposed outcome, the surgeon plans the exact procedural roadmap – where the incision must be made, how the detached chin bone must be repositioned, how the chin bone must be reattached, the exact number and type of plates and screws required, and the wound closure techniques.

The period prior to the surgery also requires preparation by the patient. They must share their complete medical history, including any medication they are currently taking and any allergies they may have. This helps the surgeon which medication and anaesthesia may be used, whether the dosage of any of the existing medicine needs to be modified, whether there are any risks involved and how they may be mitigated, etc. The patient must also stop smoking or taking recreational drugs prior to the procedure to avoid any complications. Oral hygiene is of utmost importance during this phase to ensure good wound healing and avoid the risk of surgical wound infection.

Genioplasty – The Procedure

1. This procedure is performed under general anaesthesia.
2. The chin bone is exposed using an incision placed inside the mouth, preserving sensory nerves on either side of the chin
3. Bone cuts are made after placing reference marks
4. The chin bone is then separated from the rest of the lower jaw
5. Once separated, the chin can be moved in any desired direction (decided before the surgery)
6. Once the chin bone is set in its new location, it is reattached to the lower jaw using screws and plates.
7. The incision is closed using a few stitches.
8. Done by a set of skilful hands, the procedure is extremely safe and may take around 60 to 90 minutes from start to finish.

Addressing Some Concerns

1. Scarring – Since genioplasty is an elective surgery performed on the face, patients are often concerned about a facial scar. Rest assured, the incision placement and the entire surgery is performed from inside the mouth to prevent any scars or stitches on the face.
2. The procedure is safe and simple, subject to consulting with an expert surgeon and following all the protocols which are prescribed by the surgeon before and after the surgery.
3. Genioplasty is a simple and versatile surgery, which helps correct all types of issues that you may have with your chin bone. An expert surgeon takes all the care and uses the right equipment and techniques to ensure the best outcome, which is predetermined in consultation with the patient.

In the end, genioplasty helps you attain a chiselled and aesthetically more pleasing facial profile by correcting its size and position, as per your need, while leaving you with a natural looking outcome.

About Dr Sanchaita Kohli

Dr Sanchaita Kohli is an expert oral and maxillofacial surgeon with more than 13 years of training and experience in the field at India’s leading institute. Dr Kohli has mastered the art of genioplasty and comes highly recommended by her patients. A team player, she has worked with many other experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons, and ENT surgeons, and is constantly upskilling herself to be at the top of her work.

Commitment to her patient’s needs is her top priority, she believes building a rapport and trust with her patients are the key to successful surgeries. She opts for minimally invasive procedures wherever possible, and makes use of advanced surgical procedures like lasers, custom cutting guides and piezosurgery. She works with each patient to chart out a customized treatment plan to best suit their requirements and aesthetic needs.