chin retrusion

Chin Retrusion

While most people focus on their nose when they think of the appearance of their face, the chin should not be ignored. The chin, which is a major feature of the lower face has a big impact on other facial features such as the nose.

While most people who opt for chin surgery do so to increase the size of their chin through implants, there are some who wish for a chin retrusion or fixing an overly long and prominent chin. Most people who opt for chin retrusion are women, because a large chin (also known as macrogenia) affects facial proportions, making the face appear “bottom-heavy” and more masculine. Women often opt for chin retrusion to feminize their faces, to better reflect their identity, and to improve their self-esteem.

Medically, large chins do not have much effect on a person’s health. However, in some cases, a large chin can get in the way of proper jaw alignment, which can cause chewing issues. This is called occlusion. This is why, many times, jaw surgery is often recommended along with chin retrusion surgery.

Large chins can also be the result of acromegaly, which is a condition that causes the body to produce too much growth hormone. This leads to a condition called gigantism, wherein a chin retrusion surgery is medically necessary, to ensure proper functionality of the jaw and mouth.

When a chin is excessively large, it can distort the appearance of the nose. This can create the perception that the nose is too small for the face. In general, your cosmetic surgeon may consider your chin to be too large for your face, if it exceeds the standard determined by the “golden ratio”. This is a measurement that is thought to represent the characteristics of a proportional face.

According to the golden ratio, ideal facial harmony occurs when the face’s length, minus its eye-to-mouth distance, divided by the eye-to-mouth distance equals 1.16. This is the ratio that the ancient Greeks considered the “golden ratio” for beauty.

There are different reasons and causes for overly long and strong chins. One of these is genetic. It has been noticed that for most people, large chins are hereditary and due to genetics. Studies have also shown that large chins result due to genetically higher testosterone levels.

Another reason for a large chin is a big chin from underbite. This is known as malocclusion and is due to genetic and environmental factors. It is a developmental condition that forces the lower jaw and teeth to protrude beyond the upper teeth. Many patients with pronounced malocclusion seek chin retrusion and other surgeries to correct the problem.

Before your Chin Retrusion Surgery

During an initial consultation, Dr. Suma will listen to your concerns and will conduct a thorough physical examination of your face. This is because reconstructive surgery of the chin (and sometimes the jaw) affects the appearance of the entire face.

Before the surgery, Dr. S. Suma will use photographs, X-rays, and CT scans of the face, including those of the facial profile. Prior to your chin retrusion surgery, Dr. Suma Sandhyala can use all of this data to perform a “virtual surgery” of your chin, which will mimic the actual surgery.

Chin retrusion surgery is perfect for patients who have a large or protruding chin, which is too long or too wide, but a normal occlusion or bite. The patient should be at least 20 years old, as before this, the chin is still developing and growing and should not be operated upon.

Before your chin retrusion surgery you should stop smoking and consuming alcohol for at least two weeks prior to surgery.

During your Chin Retrusion Surgery

The most common solution to fixing a large chin is chin reduction (also called chin retrusion) surgery. This removes a portion of the chin by reduction genioplasty. The chin is surgically made smaller to be more in proportion with the rest of the face.

Due to technological advancements, chin retrusion surgery is safer, easier, and much more effective than ever before. Another common surgical technique for chin retrusion is osseous genioplasty, which is any procedure that surgically reshapes and contours the chin. Your cosmetic surgeon may also recommend dental treatment along with chin retrusion surgery. This may mean prescribing braces to fix your underbite, providing your underbite is not too severe.

Before choosing a procedure, you need to work closely with your doctor to identify the cause of your large chin size, and to determine the artistic ideal of a new chin that is perfect for your facial balance and measurements. Before the surgery is performed, an X-ray exam will be done to check the lower teeth roots. Due to this, the surgeon will also be able to consider the degree of reshaping to restore the chin balance. The actual surgery will be performed under general anesthesia and will normally take about 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on the complexity of the surgery.

The chin retrusion surgery is performed through incisions made inside of the mouth to ensure no external or visible scarring. Your cosmetic surgeon will access your chin through the internal incision and will shave and reshape the bone at the tip of your chin, using special surgical instruments.

The unwanted bone will be removed to create a properly proportioned contour. The tip is then repositioned with the remaining section of the chin and is held together with plates and wires. Once the procedure is completed, dissolvable sutures are placed internally, inside the lower lip.

A facial support garment or band is placed on the chin and jaw post-surgery, to help control swelling and reduce excessive post-operative movement.

Chin reduction, when performed along with rhinoplasty and neck liposuction can create a permanent and complete V-line face shape.

Precautions and Procedures Before and After Chin Retrusion Surgery

Chin retrusion surgery, a form of chin reconstruction surgery, is a cosmetic or plastic surgery with a relatively minimal recovery period. You may suffer from moderate pain for a couple of days after the surgery. Patients can go back to their normal lives after two weeks, but are recommended to avoid strenuous activities for at least six weeks. There may also be small nerve damage, which can cause numbness in the lower lip and chin. The patient may experience swelling for several weeks after the surgery while the bone heals.

A soft diet is typically advised for about 7 to 10 days following surgery. It is normal for the lips to feel lifted and tight post-surgery and talking may feel slightly uncomfortable immediately after surgery due to the swelling.

Although, most of the swelling post chin retrusion surgery subsides after 4 weeks, it does take about a year for all the residual swelling in the soft tissues to settle. Good oral hygiene is very important during the recovery period immediately following surgery. This is imperative in order to reduce the risk of infection.

You will be given antibiotics and painkillers by your cosmetic surgeon and you should take these as directed. You should follow your cosmetic surgeon’s instructions completely both before and after chin retrusion surgery.

Chin Retrusion Surgery Result

It takes about a year for the new shape of your chin to emerge, after the residual swelling in all of the surrounding soft tissues has settled. However, the recovery process will be complete after 6 to 8 weeks.

If you are considering a chin retrusion surgery, you should consider consulting Dr. Suma. She is one of the leading cosmetic surgeons in Hyderabad, India and will work closely with you to give you the chin that is right for you. She will answer any and all of your questions and will soothe your fears. She will use the very latest in imaging and surgery techniques for your successful chin retrusion surgery.

To know more about Chin Retrusion  as well as the other cosmetic and reconstructive surgery procedures that Dr. S. Suma performs, you can get in touch with her at +91 86 86 042 042 or email her at info@prettyu.com

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