Mentoplasty: The Beginner's Guide to Chin Augmentation

As defined by Wikipedia, Chin augmentation, also known as mentoplasty or genioplasty, is “a type of cosmetic surgery that is used to improve the appearance of a person's chin. This can take the form of chin height reduction or chin rounding by osteotomy, or chin augmentation using implants,” or an injectable paste. Used to correct a “weak” or disproportionate chin, as well as create a greater symmetry among other facial features, statistics provided by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that over 14,500 Americans chose to have chin augmentation surgery in 2006 alone.

Performed under local or general anesthetic, and usually taking 1 to 3 hours to complete, chin augmentation begins when the surgeon makes a small incision under the chin or inside the mouth. After the incision, the surgeon stretches the tissue, inserting and molding the implant or paste or resculpting the bone. Following this, sutures are used to pull the skin together, stitches are made, and a protective covering is applied.

After the surgery, swelling, bruising and discomfort lasting anywhere from several days to several months is not uncommon. Patients are usually instructed to take oral antibiotics both before and after the procedure to help guard against infection as well as pain killers to ease post-surgical discomfort. Numbness, soreness and tenderness can last as long as 3 months. Although patients can expect to return to work within the week following the procedure, they are advised to refrain from contact sports for several weeks.

As with any surgery, there are risks of complication. Though not the norm, there are some instances in which the implant slips. In this case, the surgery must be repeated and implant readjusted. Furthermore, there are cases in which the body rejects the implant and it must be removed. Blood clots and reaction to anesthesia are other rare, but possible complications.

Although the cost of chin augmentation surgery varies depending upon the complexity of the procedure as well as other factors including geography and variances in surgeon fees, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average physician's fee during 2006 was $1,910. Once anesthesia and other additional charges are included, the total price tag can range from $2,500 to $5,000.