Chin Surgery

Mentoplasty is a form of chin surgery that will be recommended by a plastic surgeon for either cosmetic or reconstructive reasons. There are several different types of mentoplasty surgery including chin reduction surgery and chin augmentation surgery. Although chin surgeries are fairly common, whether or not the specific chin surgery performed is covered by medical insurance depends mainly on the reason for the chin surgery.

Mentoplasty or, as it is also known, genioplasty, is that type of cosmetic surgery that either reconstructs or re-models a person’s chin. There are two main reasons why a person will undergo chin surgery, and these comprise when chin reconstruction is required after an accident or illness and when chin remodeling is required for purely cosmetic reasons. The former types of chin surgeries are usually covered by health plans whereas the latter types are not.

There are three major types of mentoplasty, and chin surgeries can therefore be divided into the following categories:

  1. Chin augmentation surgery, which involves building up the chin through the use of chin implants;
  2. Chin reduction surgery, which involves decreasing the height of a patient’s chin; and
  3. Chin rounding surgery, which involves changing the shape of the chin through a part of the chin bone being detached from the jaw and being moved to another location within the chin area. This procedure is also known as a chin osteotomy. All of the above procedures can be performed as either chin reconstruction surgery or as cosmetic chin surgery.

Chin surgery has to be performed under anesthetic and is obviously an invasive surgery that will involve one or more incisions being made. Although some of the chin surgeries, like chin reduction, will involve either removing a portion of the chin or re-locating it within the chin area, others, like chin augmentation, will involve inserting a chin implant. Chin implants are usually made out of silicone or some similar material and are held in place by sutures, with no surgical screws or other devices being required.

Other procedures can be performed at the same time as chin surgeries including liposuction of the fatty deposits situated under the chin, in the neck and in the jowls. Patients should recover fully from chin surgery within approximately two months, provided that no complications or side-effects develop.

Despite its reconstructive properties, mentoplasty surgery is categorized as a plastic surgery procedure or treatment, just like sclerotherapy, Radiesse and Thermage.