Chin Implant

Introduction

If you have concerns about a ‘weak chin,’ a chin implant from facial plastic surgeon Dr. Lawrence Tong could be a procedure to address your problem. The implant is surgically placed along the front of the chin to augment its dimensions. There are various sizes of implants and methods of placement.

Benefits of a Chin Implant

A chin implant is used to improve facial proportions by altering the chin’s dimensions. In particular, it enhances the appearance of a ‘small’ chin by adding width, height, or projection to improve facial harmony. Although a small procedure, it can have a significant impact on a person’s appearance.¹

A chin implant can do the following:

• Increase projection (the degree to which it ‘sticks out’ from the side view)
• Increase width (make the chin wider)
• Camouflage jowls
• Increase vertical chin height
• Decrease or eliminate mentalis muscle dimpling (constant contraction of the ‘chin muscle’ often due to a weak chin)
• Improve overall facial proportions and harmony (e.g. a weak chin can make a larger nose look larger)

Things to Consider With Chin Implants

Placing a chin implant can affect your appearance dramatically or subtly. Consider what you would like to achieve with a chin implant; think about how much more projection you would like and whether you would like your chin to be slightly wider, or slightly longer. Of course, Dr. Tong will do a facial analysis and make recommendations based upon aesthetic norms and your personal requirements.

Men and women should not be treated equally. Males tend to look better with a stronger, wider chin, while doing the same in a female may produce a masculine look.

Additional procedures should be considered with a chin implant; these include Neck Liposuction, Mini Neck Lift, Neck Lift, or Facelift. These additional procedures achieve better definition of the neck (by removing fat, and deepening the neck/chin angle), synergistically enhancing the chin implant’s effect and the overall result.

Chin Implant Incisions

There are two methods of placing a chin implant:

1. Using an incision inside the mouth, where the lower lips meets the gums along the front teeth (intra oral approach)
2. Using an incision in the ‘double chin’ crease (external approach)

A summary of the pros and cons of each method of Chin implant placement:

The Chin Implant Procedure

The procedure is performed under general anesthesia or IV sedation. Dr. Tong performs your surgery at St. Thomas Surgical Centre, a private surgery centre at 7 St. Thomas Street. This CPSO accredited surgery centre is located on the 2nd floor, within the same building where our office is housed in downtown Toronto, near Bay and Bloor..

Dr. Tong carries out Chin Implant surgery by first making a 2-3cm incision under the chin, (or inside the lower lip if the intra oral route is used). He precisely makes a pocket to accommodate the implant. An implant ‘sizer’ is placed to test how the implant will look. The sizer is identical in dimensions to the implant. Multiple sizers may be trialed until Dr. Tong feels that he has achieved the intended aesthetic goal. The aesthetic goal is determined during the consultation process. It is ascertained with a combination of your aesthetic wishes/goals, your anatomical dimensions/proportions, and Dr. Tong’s aesthetic guidance/recommendation. Once Dr. Tong is satisfied that a certain sizer meets the aesthetic goal, he selects the implant based on the sizer. Oftentimes, the implant may be further modified by trimming off the lateral portions if there is a desire to limit the increase in the chin width. This modification is commonly performed, especially in female patients. The implant is secured using a series of stitches, and the skin and soft tissue layers are stitched back together meticulously. After the last stitches are placed, a small dressing is applied, and you are gently awakened from anesthesia.

How to Choose the Best Plastic Surgeon For You

Chin Implant Recovery

You will be allowed to go home following surgery, accompanied by your friend or family member, after the effects of anesthesia have worn off.

You should try to rest as much as possible at home; otherwise, you may perform non-strenuous activities such as watching television and making meals. Meals should consist of soft foods (e.g. soup, eggs, oatmeal, mashed potatoes) in the first week. Do not chew ‘hard’ foods, or open your mouth too wide. Try to sleep in a reclining chair or use multiple pillows to keep your head elevated when you sleep. This helps decrease facial swelling, bruising, and discomfort.

Pain is typically moderate. Narcotic pain medication will be prescribed by Dr. Tong and is usually used for less than 3-5 days. There will be some significant swelling of the chin area, typically lasting from 1-2 weeks. Your lower lips and chin may feel numb for a number of weeks. The lower lips will be swollen and slightly stiff, leading to difficulty pronouncing some words, especially with the intraoral approach. This is entirely normal, and may take 2 weeks to fully recover.

At one week after surgery, Dr. Tong will see you to have your stitches removed. The majority of patients return to work (non-strenuous) at 5-7 days. Dr. Tong will likely allow you to start light exercise (e.g. walking) at 2 weeks after surgery. Avoid strenuous activity until 4 weeks after surgery. After the initial postoperative visit, you will follow up with Dr. Tong at 6 weeks, and 6 months after surgery. Post-operative photos will also be taken at these visits.

As with any surgery, there are risks involved with having Chin Implant Surgery. Although the procedure has a very low risk profile, Dr. Tong will make sure to go over the potential problems associated with Chin Implant Surgery during your consultation.

Your Chin Implant Consultation in Toronto

It is crucial that you do your research when considering an elective procedure such as a Chin Implant. The initial consultation with Dr. Tong may take over 45 minutes to complete. You will have the opportunity to see many photos of Dr. Tong’s work. He will make sure that you understand all aspects of the chin implant surgery process. The consultation will help to define your aesthetic goals and hone in on the various implant types and sizes that will best achieve your desired look. Our goal is to educate you. We feel strongly that the educated patient will make better choices about their surgery and their surgeon.

You will never be rushed or pressured to make a decision about surgery.

To learn more about how Toronto Chin Implant Surgeon Lawrence Tong, MD can help you with improving your appearance, set up a consultation with Dr. Tong by giving us a call at (647) 931-1287. You can also let us give you a call; just fill out our contact form and we will call you on the same or the next business day.

¹ American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Chin Surgery. Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/chin-surgery. Accessed June 21, 2021.
² American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Who is a good candidate for chin surgery? Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/chin-surgery/candidates. Accessed June 21, 2021.