A weak or receding chin changes the balance of the whole face — the nose looks larger, the jawline softer and the neck shorter. Chin augmentation projects it forward, with an implant, by moving the bone, or temporarily with filler.
The assessment is about proportion and about the bite, not about the chin alone. A chin is judged against the nose, the lips and the angle of the jaw.
If the teeth do not meet correctly, the underlying problem is the bite, and an implant will not correct it. That needs an orthodontic and maxillofacial assessment, and sometimes orthognathic surgery — moving the jaw itself — rather than an implant in front of it.
Three different operations are sold under the same name. They differ in what they move, how reversible they are, and how long they last.
A soft, solid implant placed on the bone through a small incision inside the lower lip, or occasionally under the chin. It adds projection and width, takes about an hour, and can be removed or exchanged later. The implant sits on the bone and does not fuse with it.
The chin bone is cut, moved forward — or down, or sideways — and fixed with small plates and screws. It uses your own bone, so there is no implant to displace, and it can correct vertical length and asymmetry that an implant cannot. A bigger operation, with more swelling.
A temporary option, done in the clinic in under an hour with no downtime. It shows what projection would look like before committing to surgery, and lasts roughly nine to eighteen months. It cannot correct a short or asymmetric bone.
Profile photographs, a measurement of the face, and an examination of the bite. Where the bone is being moved, or the bite is in question, a cephalometric X-ray or a CT scan is arranged. The size and shape of the implant are chosen on the model of your face.
Blood tests, and a dental check if the incision will be inside the mouth — teeth and gums need to be healthy before an intraoral operation. Smoking stops four weeks before. Blood thinners are paused about ten days before, and you fast for six to eight hours.
Under general anaesthesia or deep sedation, one to two hours. The implant is inserted through an incision inside the lower lip, so there is no scar on the skin; the incision is closed with dissolvable sutures. Most patients stay one night.
Swelling peaks at forty-eight to seventy-two hours, and the lower lip and chin feel stiff and numb. Soft food, no chewing on the front teeth, mouth rinse after every meal, and sleep with the head raised. Bruising can track down the neck and settles in a week.
Most of the swelling is gone by two to three weeks, and the rest settles over three months. Numbness of the lower lip improves gradually, sometimes over several months. Contact sport and dental work wait about six weeks.
The chin is close to the mental nerve and the incision is next to the mouth, and both shape the risk list.
Tell us about previous chin or jaw surgery, orthodontic treatment, gum disease and any autoimmune condition. Also say if you grind your teeth or have TMJ pain — the joint is loaded differently after the chin is moved.
The aim is proportion, not size. An implant chosen to match your face reads as a stronger jawline rather than as a chin. The incision is inside the lip, so there is no scar on the face; the trade-off is a short period of swelling and a numb lower lip.
An implant is quicker, reversible and good for adding projection forward. Genioplasty moves your own bone, so it can lengthen the chin, correct asymmetry and avoid a foreign body — at the cost of a bigger operation. The right answer depends on what is actually short, and that is measured, not guessed.
A silicone implant is not expected to need replacement, and many stay in place for decades. It is not permanent in the sense that it never needs attention: it can be removed or exchanged, and it should be looked at if it becomes painful, moves, or if the chin changes shape.
Yes, and it is often the better plan: the profile is a relationship between the nose and the chin, and changing one alone can make the other look wrong. The combined operation is longer, so it is planned as one procedure with one recovery.
A profile and a front view are enough to say whether the chin is the problem, and whether an implant, the bone or filler is the sensible route. A coordinator comes back with a plan and a written quote.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Suitability, technique and risks are decided in a consultation with a surgeon.
