Choosing the Best Procedure to Augment the Chin: Is Anything Better than an Implant?

Abstract

The chin plays a very important role in overall facial appearance, and aesthetic procedures to augment the chin in patients with microgenia can improve overall facial balance. Many procedures exist to enhance the appearance of a small chin. Procedures include surgeries such as placement of an alloplast implant and bony osteotomy of the mentum (sliding genioplasty). The advantages and disadvantages of each surgical technique are well documented. Although surgical augmentation of the chin has been the gold standard of therapy, recent development of injectable filler products with lifting capacity has changed the way that many practitioners alter chin shape and size. Filler agents allow augmentation of the chin in horizontal (projection), vertical, and transverse dimensions. Injectable fillers are a simple, noninvasive procedure that causes minimal to no downtime, incurs minimal risks, and allows the practitioner to shape the chin in three dimensions. This procedure allows patients to enhance their chin size without requiring an operative visit. As more and varied filler products become FDA-approved, the versatility and application of these agents will increase.