Chin augmentation is plastic surgery performed to enhance a person’s profile. Much like rhinoplasty procedures, chin implants are recommended when a more defined chin would support the patient’s facial balance and harmony. The Hilger Face Center is proud to offer comprehensive chin plastic surgery services in Minneapolis!

Hilger Face Center Chin Implant Before and after, Minneapolis and Edina

PROCEDURE PROCESS FOR A CHIN AUGMENTATION OR MENTOPLASTY

A chin augmentation may be performed in two different ways. For a receding or “weak” chin, implants made of materials such as silicone or Medpor are inserted under the skin to make the chin appear more prominent. This may also be accomplished by moving the actual bone forward.

An overly extended chin is reduced by moving the bone back, or by shaving part of it. Another element of this procedure is liposuction of excess fat around the chin and lower cheek areas. Liposuction beneath the chin is a complementary procedure that can be combined with chin augmentation to further enhance the aesthetic change by providing a better jaw and neckline.

GOOD CANDIDATE FOR A CHIN AUGMENTATION

A prime chin augmentation candidate is someone whose chin is smaller than the rest of his or her features. A large nose may cause a weak chin to look even worse, and a slimmer nose will make a chin appear as if it is jutting out further. This is a common result of a rhinoplasty, which is why the two procedures are sometimes done at the same time. Combining a rhinoplasty with chin augmentation often provides an ideal result as facial harmony is improved.

Hilger Face Center Chin Augmentation Before and after, Minneapolis and Edina

BENEFITS OF A CHIN AUGMENTATION

One of the key benefits of a chin augmentation is the impact it will have on the profile of the patient. Their face will appear stronger and both forms of augmentation will give extra definition to their face.

A chin augmentation is a simple surgery that takes no longer than forty-five minutes, and may, therefore, be done alongside other facial surgery. Another benefit of chin augmentation is that the improvement in appearance is permanent unlike fillers, re-alignment of the facial framework provides a permanent aesthetic improvement. In addition, chin implants may correct some of the changes seen with early soft tissue aging and improve the contour of the neck and jawline.

There is nothing more valuable than your face, so never settle for anything less than the best cosmetic or plastic surgeon for your Chin augmentation. Your doctor should have years of extensive experience, as well as be Board-Certified in Facial Plastic Surgery by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ABFPRS).
The best chin augmentation surgeon will have an unsurpassed reputation for providing exceptional patient care in the safest of environments. Your doctor should provide before and after photos from his procedures, allowing you to assess his specific surgical style and skill. If you are happy with his previous work, you are more than likely to be pleased with your surgical results as well.
Among the best chin augmentation specialists in Minnesota, our surgeons have been performing facial, head, and neck surgery for over 30 years. They are passionate about delivering unsurpassed patient care in the safest possible environment. Board-certified in Facial Plastic Surgery, and recognized as America’s Top Doctor by Castle-Connolly, our surgeons are at the forefront of cutting edge of research and procedures and are active in patient care, teaching, and clinical research, serving as faculty at the University of Minnesota.

A special dressing must remain on your chin for up to two days following surgery. Due to anesthesia and the implants, your chin may have a tingling sensation. The nerve irritation caused by surgical instruments may leave your chin feeling numb until it completely heals. This rarely extends beyond 2 weeks, and 90% of swelling dissipates within 4 weeks.

Since chin augmentation incisions are made under the chin or inside the mouth, visible scarring is extremely limited.

The facial swelling caused by the procedure will go away four to six weeks after the initial surgery. However, it may take a few more months until the chin’s final results may be seen.

Chin implant surgery is very common and provides gratifying results that are readily apparent within the few days of surgery. Surgery is performed either from a small incision inside the mouth or under the chin, and these incisions rarely need to be revised. It’s very common that you would experience a mild degree of numbness in the chin for the first few days or weeks after surgery as the tissues have been stretched to accommodate the contour change. The incidence rate of infection is approximately 1%. Implants rarely shift and if they do it’s usually within the first few weeks of surgery. Those are the small and infrequent potential complications of chin implant surgery.

This is an excellent question and a common concern for patients who are considering having their chin or jaw line better defined. The chin implants we use have a very natural consistency to them, and the technique that we use for chin augmentation stabilizes the chin to the underlying framework so the potential for the implant to shift is very minimal, and we have not seen this occur in many years with the implants that we have placed. So, in summary, the chin implant provides stable augmentation that lasts over a very long time.

We generally advise patients to shave before a chin implant not to provide a more sterile environment for surgery, but to help guide the technical aspects of the surgery as we’re working to provide a more appropriate facial contour with the implant and it is difficult to judge when there’s a heavy beard overlying the soft tissues. So, we’ll generally ask patients to shave and they can then grow a beard immediately after surgery if they would like.

This surgery like all aesthetic surgery needs to be tailored to the unique desires and needs of the patient. Most of us have facial asymmetry. We have the opportunity with a chin implant to modify the chin shape to provide a more flattering outcome. It is not uncommon that we shape or sculpt an implant to accommodate a patient’s unique characteristics.

Chin implant surgery is done in the operating room under general anesthesia or sedation. The incision is approximately half an inch long, and the procedure takes approximately 30 minutes. You'll be able to return to your routine activities on the day after surgery.