Plastic surgery is no longer confined to the rich and famous. Because of scientific advances, everyone can now afford plastic surgical procedures to improve their appearance. However, some plastic surgeries are necessary, primarily if you have incurred facial injuries in an accident.
Chin augmentation is a surgery that reshapes or enhances the chin’s size. It can be done by inserting a chin implant or reshaping or moving the bones in the chin. To determine which part of the chin to work with, your plastic surgeon will recommend some x-rays for you to take.
- An overview of the chin augmentation procedure
If the surgeon says you only need an implant to fix the shape of the chin, you will be given general anesthesia or medicine to numb the area and make you sleep. The surgeon will either make an incision inside the mouth or on the chin for the implant. A pocket is created inside your chin for the implant.
- What to expect from the procedure?
To give the chin its shape, your surgeon might use fat tissue or bone or an implant made from Dacron, Teflon, silicone, or any other new biological insert. The implant is attached to the bone with the help of screws or stitches. The surgical cut is closed with sutures, and if it is made inside your mouth, its scar is barely visible. To reshape the chin, your surgeon may need to remove some bones. This whole procedure generally takes one to three hours.
- Recovery time for chin augmentation procedures
If you are considering a chin augmentation procedure, its recovery time is short and relatively reasonable. Most people generally take a week off from work to heal. During this period, your surgeon will recommend that you eat soft foods to allow the new structure of the chin to set in place.
- Home care after the chin augmentation procedure
To accelerate healing, your plastic surgeon will prescribe painkillers with instructions on how and when to take them. Besides this, your surgeon will also suggest that you wear tops with buttons to avoid brushing your chin against your clothes. Most patients generally remove their sutures after five days and can return to work the week after. However, patients are asked to avoid strenuous physical activity for at least four to six weeks.
Experts from Stratus Plastic Surgery say the best candidates for the genioplasty or chin augmentation procedure are those with normal occlusion. This means their upper teeth meet their lower teeth conveniently. Some people often have a weak chin because the jaw sits back a little too far compared to the face’s middle.
These people often benefit from an orthodontic examination as their chin can be reshaped with the repositioning of their jaw. This surgery is called orthographic surgery, and they can opt for a chin augmentation at the same time or after the surgery for their jaw is completed. It is best to consult your doctor to find out what should you do.
