Mentoplasty
Mentoplasty is a permanent and effective procedure to improve facial balance. It is usually performed on people who have a receding or small chin, which can make the nose appear larger and the jawline weaker.
Here are the full details of the surgery:
1. Types of Prostheses and Their Materials
Chin prostheses come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit the shape of each person's facial skeleton. The most common material used is medical-grade silicone, which is considered the gold standard due to its high compatibility with body tissue and flexibility. Other materials such as Medpor are also used, which has tiny pores for tissue growth inside it.
2. How the surgery is performed
This procedure usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes and is performed under local anesthesia (with sedation) or general anesthesia. The surgeon uses one of the following two routes to place the prosthesis:
• Intraoral incision: An incision is made at the border between the lower gum and the lip. The advantage of this method is that there is no external scar.
• Submental incision: A small incision (about 2 cm) is made in the groove under the chin. This method is highly precise and has a lower risk of infection, but it leaves a very fine line under the chin that is usually difficult to see.
After making the incision, the surgeon opens a space on the chin bone, places the prosthesis and fixes it with sutures or, in some cases, with special screws.
3. Results and effects on the face
A chin prosthesis does not just enlarge the chin, but also changes the balance of the entire face:
• Profile correction: Aligns the chin with the forehead and nose.
• Jawline improvement: Makes the jawline look clearer and more attractive.
• Double chin removal: As the chin moves forward, the skin under the throat is stretched and false double chins are largely eliminated.
4. Recovery and Care
• Nutrition: If you have an internal incision, you should eat soft foods for a few days and rinse your mouth with antiseptic solutions.
• Swelling and Sensation: A feeling of tightness and swelling is normal for up to 2 weeks. You may also experience temporary numbness in your lower lip, which will gradually resolve.
• Activity: Most people return to work after 7 days, but heavy, impact sports (which may cause a blow to the face) are prohibited for up to 6 weeks.
5. Chin prosthesis or filler injection?
• Filler (gel): It is a non-surgical and quick method, but its results are temporary (6 to 18 months) and are not suitable for very large changes.
• Prosthesis: It is done once and for all and creates structural and firm changes.
6. Ideal Candidates
• People with a short or receding chin.
• People whose nose appears too large due to the shape of their chin.
• People with complete facial bone structure (usually over 18 years old).
Important note: Sometimes, instead of a prosthesis, the surgeon will recommend a genioplasty procedure (cutting and repositioning the chin bone itself). This procedure is used for more complex bone deformities.
