Genioplasty
Genioplasty changes the position of the chin by an osteotomy of the front part of the mandible. The chin is moved forward, back, up, down or recentred, alone or in addition to a jaw osteotomy.
Indications
Receding chin (retrogenia), often associated with a receding mandible.
Overly prominent chin.
Deviated chin, asymmetry.
Chin too high or too long (vertical excess).
Improvement of lip closure at rest and of the chin–neck profile.
Principle
Through an incision under the lower lip, the chin bone is cut horizontally below the roots of the teeth and the fragment is moved, then fixed with a titanium plate. Unlike silicone chin implants, bone genioplasty moves the chin together with the muscles and skin attached to it, for a natural and stable result.
Specific points
Duration: 45 minutes to 1 hour on its own; adds 30 to 45 minutes to an osteotomy.
Hospital stay: 1 night.
Numbness of the lower lip and chin for a few weeks.
Swelling of the chin and neck for 2 to 3 weeks; compression bandage for the first few days.
Return to work: 1 to 2 weeks for a genioplasty alone.
Recovery
Guide to the first 6 weeks on the orthognathic surgery page, plus: chin bandage for 48 to 72 hours, and lip exercises from week 2.
FAQ
Genioplasty or chin implant?
Bone genioplasty corrects the position in every direction (including height and asymmetry), with no foreign body and no risk of the implant shifting or becoming infected. An implant only adds volume forwards.
Is there a scar?
No, the incision is inside the mouth.
Is the result visible immediately?
The bone position is final from the operation onwards; the aesthetic result is judged once the swelling has resolved, at around 2 to 3 months.
Is it reimbursed?
Yes when it is combined with an osteotomy on functional criteria. An isolated genioplasty for purely aesthetic reasons is not reimbursed.