CHIN IMPLANTS
Procedures
Lower Jaw Implants in Shreveport
A symmetrical face with a well-defined profile are hallmarks of a strong jaw and chin. Many people consider chiseled jawlines and strong chins to be the foundations of an attractive male or female face. Unfortunately, not everyone is born with such features, and no amount of working out or expensive serums can change that. If you would like to improve the look of your lower facial features, chin or jaw implants may be the solution.
Jaw implant surgery can help balance the proportions of the entire face when performed by a highly-skilled board-certified cosmetic surgeon like Dr. Forrest Wall. An expert in facial plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures, Dr. Wall will go over the implant surgery with you and discuss realistic expectations for your results.
For more information regarding lower jaw surgery and implants, reach out to Dr. Forrest Wall at The Plastic Surgery Center in Shreveport and Monroe, LA today!
What are Jaw Implants?
A jaw implant is a device surgically added to the jawline to enhance the appearance of the jaw and chin. This facial implant increases facial harmony by enhancing and improving a “weak” or under projected chin or jawline. Lower face width may also increase with a jaw implant. Both men and women are candidates for chin implant surgery if they desire more defined lower facial features.
A jaw that is not well-defined or appears convex instead of being sharp and angular may be regarded as a weak jawline. In some patients, both the jaw and chin cause a facial imbalance. This facial implant procedure can help the facial structure achieve more definition and balance.
The procedure itself typically takes one to two hours to complete. There should be no visible scarring because your surgeon makes the incision inside the mouth/lower lip or under the chin, and the stitches eventually dissolve. However, you may experience swelling for several months after your surgery.
Read Also: Non-Surgical Treatments for Jowls
Chin Implants
Also called mentoplasty, chin enhancement surgery corrects any contour irregularities of the chin, jawline, and neck. Because the chin is such a defining area of the face, a patient may want to create a more defined contour with the help of a chin implant. The proportion and projection of the chin increase with a such a procedure.
A chin implant is one of several ways your plastic surgeon can improve the appearance of your chin. Reshaping or moving the facial bones or utilizing liposuction to remove excess fat are other procedures that help define the chin and jaw area.
Read Also: 5 Things You Need to Know About Liposuction Recovery
Additional Options to Enhance the Chin and Jawline
Many patients opt to have chin surgery only. However, some procedures combined with mentoplasty further enhance your results. These additional procedures include:
Chin Implant and Rhinoplasty
Chin and jaw implants may also be combined with rhinoplasty, as the nose and chin are complementary facial features. The rhinoplasty results are increased significantly with the addition of a chin implant. This is a common combination for facial contouring.
Chin Implants and Neck Liposuction
Neck liposuction combined with chin implant surgery reduces fullness under the chin and improves jawline definition. Suctioning away excess fat further enhances the appearance of the neck and lower facial features.
Cheek Implants
Another popular facial implant surgery that allows patients to enhance the contour of their lower face is cheek implants. If a cheek implant is being done in conjunction with chin implants, the same incisions may be used; otherwise, a small incision may be made inside your upper lip, or under your lower eyelid.
Chin Reduction Surgery
Other patients may choose to optimize the appearance of their chin area and jawline with chin reduction surgery or a neck lift.
Read Also: Double Chin Reduction
What Does a Chin Implant Look Like?
Chin implants come in various contours and sizes to fulfill the patient’s goals and match their facial structure. They are solid medical devices molded to hug a patient’s chin bone. Typically made of silicone or polyethylene called Medpor, they are biocompatible materials that feel similar to actual bone. A few weeks after the augmentation, supportive tissue grows around the implant.
When a board-certified surgeon performs the surgery, it’s often impossible to tell it is an implant. During your consultation with Dr. Wall, he helps you select an implant that provides the most natural results.
Are Chin Implants Safe?
Although chin augmentation and facial implants are generally safe when performed by qualified plastic surgeons, they carry the same risks as other surgical procedures. We’ll list these risks below:
Chin Implant Risks
- Infection caused by bacteria in the mouth (can require implant removal)
- Anesthesia complications
- Bleeding
- Swelling
- Allergic reaction to the implant
- Implant shifted (can require corrective surgery)
- Scarring
Damaged nerves are another possible complication. They may cause lower lip numbness or impair the muscles that control the mouth. Drooling, an asymmetric smile, or a lisp can occur if these muscles are damaged.
Selecting a plastic surgeon like Dr. Forrest Wall, certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS), minimizes your risk of complications significantly. Physicians certified by ABCS only operate in accredited surgical centers, have extensive cosmetic surgery fellowship training, and use the services of an MD anesthesiologist for the administration of general anesthesia.
Chin Augmentation Recovery
After completing your procedure, your surgeon will cover it with a medical dressing. This dressing needs to stay in place for a few days. You’ll be prescribed medication to alleviate any pain, as your jaw line and chin may be sore for several weeks. Keeping your head elevated and applying cold compresses may ease discomfort, as well.
The patient may be advised to stick with soft foods and liquids for several days. Most of the swelling goes away within six weeks. This is also when most patients typically begin to notice their results. Your doctor may advise against rigorous physical activity during the first few weeks after surgery, though it is generally safe to resume most daily activities after ten days.
Also, note that your healing may require as many as seven days off work.
How Long Do Chin Implants Last?
Your chin implant is permanent. The implant is manufactured from a durable material, so your enhanced chin contour will not change, but it cannot prevent your face from changing in other ways as you grow older.
Should you suffer facial trauma, there is a small risk of damage to the implant that could require a replacement.
How Much Does a Chin Implant Cost?
The cost of a chin implant varies depending on the procedure used, your surgeon’s office location, and their skill level and experience. However, 2020 statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons place the average cost of a chin implant at around $3,137. This is not the total price, as it does not include the surgical facility costs, anesthesia, medical tests, and prescribed medications.
Please call and schedule a consultation at The Plastic Surgery Center to determine the best estimate for your chin augmentation surgery.
Does Insurance Cover Facial Implants?
Whether your medical insurance covers your facial implants procedure depends on why you are having the surgery.
Insurance companies won’t pay for aesthetic plastic surgery treatments. However, insurance may cover your chin implant if it’s part of reconstructive surgery after an injury. You should consult your insurance company to know who is footing the bill ahead of time.
If insurance coverage is not an option, our office happily offers financing and payment plans for patients paying out-of-pocket for their surgery.
Call Dr. Forrest Wall at The Plastic Surgery Center for a Lower Jaw Implant Consultation
At The Plastic Surgery Center, we understand that undergoing a surgical procedure is a substantial investment. Let us help you achieve the goals you set for your new look.
Board-certified cosmetic surgeon Dr. Forrest Wall is dedicated to helping patients achieve their desired look. Highly skilled in facial plastic surgery procedures, including chin implants and jaw implants, Dr. Wall performs many cosmetic treatments. His other services include Shreveport breast lift surgery, Shreveport Brazilian butt lift, Shreveport forehead and brow lifts, Shreveport tummy tucks, and so much more. In addition to cosmetic surgical procedures, The Plastic Surgery Center offers face and body treatments such as permanent hair reduction treatments, hyaluronic acid fillers, and stretch mark reduction at our Medi Spa.
Please contact us today at (318) 221-1629 with questions about chin and jaw implants and to make an appointment with Dr. Wall for a consultation.
