CHIN (Mentoplasty)

Mentoplasty is the name of the surgery that changes the shape, size or position of the chin. When a patient has a poorly developed chin is termed as retrognathism or hypomentonism. When too prominent it is termed as hypermentonism or prognathism. The dimensions are measured in both the vertical and the horizontal view and in its study we consider the rest of the jaw, the position of the teeth, and the forehead among others.

The enlargement of a chin that must be corrected for just a few centimeters can be done through a chin implant, which may be of different materials such as solid silicone, the Goretex, etc. To insert the implant, it is possible to use an incision inside the mouth at the groove between the gum and lower lip (intraoral) or through a small skin incision below the chin, similar to that used for lifting of  the inferior third or the neck (external route). The placement is done through a small incision in the mucosa or the skin under the chin, under local anesthesia and on an outpatient basis. It rarely can cause transient sensory disturbances and mobility of the lip.
Another technique is increasing a portion of the jaw bone through horizontal bone sections (osteotomy), using the intraoral route. In these cases, the ridge of the bone is displaced and fixed in an exact and precise manner, allowing correction of the defect.
  
The enlargement of a chin that must be corrected to a greater degree should be addressed through bone sections or osteotomies of vertical advancement. For teeth that need overtaking of the lower dental arch it will require a moving forward of the jaw with a joint work with an orthodontist.

To reduce a prominent chin, it will require a sanding of a section of bone (osteotomy) through an incision inside the mouth. Osteotomies allow the movement, shortening and tightening of the jaw. It is important to identify the possible asymmetries or differences in shape or size from one side of the face to another. The interventions can be performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation and the hospital stay can be just of a few hours if it’s done as an outpatient, or a day when entering the clinic. In some cases with very pronounced defects, which require the treatments described above involving sections of bone in the jaw, it may be required more days of hospitalization. In this type of intervention, massage is contraindicated in the immediate postoperative period because it could lead to the mobilization of the implanted material. After the intervention it may be necessary to immobilize the area with a dressing, which will be withdrawn within a few days.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Postoperative care:

• Take pain medication indicated by the doctor.
• Take antibiotic indicated by the doctor.
• Limit gestures when speaking.
• Apply cold locally.
• Do not take direct sun for a month.