What is it and how is it done?
Chin surgery (genioplasty) aims to balance the facial profile by repositioning a chin that is set back, sticks out too far, is too long or too short, or is asymmetric. Together with the nose, the lips and the line of the neck, the chin defines the profile. A receding chin can make the nose look larger than it is and blur the line between the chin and the neck. For this reason chin surgery is often planned together with rhinoplasty and, where appropriate, done in the same operation.
There are two main surgical methods. In sliding genioplasty, the chin bone is reached through an incision on the inside of the lower lip, cut below the tooth roots and below the nerve that supplies feeling to the lower lip, moved in the planned direction and fixed with small titanium plates and screws. This method can bring the chin forward or back, shorten or lengthen it, and correct left-right asymmetry. With a chin implant, a silicone implant is placed on the bone through the mouth or through a small incision under the chin; the operation is shorter, but an implant only adds volume forwards and to the sides and cannot shorten the chin or move it back. For mild deficiency, hyaluronic acid filler is a non-surgical, temporary option.
The bite is decisive in choosing the method. If the whole lower jaw sits too far back or forward and the upper and lower teeth do not meet properly, the problem lies not only in the chin but in the position of the jaws. In that case an assessment by an orthodontist and for orthognathic surgery (repositioning of the jaw bones) is needed first. Genioplasty alone does not correct a bite problem and only partly balances the appearance; in some patients it is planned together with orthognathic surgery.
In addition to being a specialist in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, Prof. Dr. İlker Yazıcı holds a Turkish Ministry of Health sub-specialty certificate in face, mouth and jaw surgery. At the consultation in Nişantaşı, the face is examined from the front and the side, the bite is checked, and the balance between the nose, lips and chin is assessed together using 3D facial imaging and simulation. The simulation is useful for discussing the goal, but it cannot show exactly how closely the soft tissues will follow the movement of the bone. If bone surgery is planned, a panoramic X-ray or CT scan is requested to show the position of the tooth roots and the nerve. At the end of the consultation, the method that suits you, the risks, the recovery and the items that make up the cost are discussed openly.
What are the aims?
- To improve the balance of the profile between the nose, lips and chin.
- To bring a receding chin forward.
- To give a chin that projects too far, or is too long or too short, proportions that suit the face better.
- To reduce left-right asymmetry of the chin.
- To make the line between the chin and the neck look more defined.
Who is it suitable for?
- People whose facial skeleton has finished growing, usually over the age of 18.
- People whose chin, seen in profile, is set back, projects too far, is too long or too short, or is asymmetric.
- People whose bite is normal or has been corrected with orthodontic treatment.
- People planning rhinoplasty whose chin also needs to be assessed for the balance of the profile.
- People whose general health allows surgery and general anaesthesia.
- People with good oral and dental health and no active infection in the mouth.
- People with realistic expectations who understand that the simulation shows a goal, not a definite result.
When is it postponed or not recommended?
- People whose teeth do not meet properly because of the position of the jaw bones; an orthodontic and orthognathic surgery assessment is needed first.
- Teenagers whose facial skeleton is still growing.
- People with an untreated infection in the mouth or teeth; surgery is postponed until it has been treated.
- People with an uncontrolled chronic illness, a condition that impairs bone healing or a health problem that rules out anaesthesia.
- People who, because of persistent and distressing worries about their appearance, focus intensely on very small differences; if body dysmorphic disorder is suspected, a psychiatric assessment is advised first.
Alternatives
- Hyaluronic acid filler
- Adds volume to a slightly receding chin without surgery; the effect is temporary, needs repeating at intervals and carries a rare risk of blocking a blood vessel.
- Fat injection
- Mild deficiency can be filled by injecting your own fat into the chin; because the body absorbs part of the fat, the result cannot be predicted precisely and a repeat session may be needed.
- Orthognathic surgery
- When a jaw problem also affects the bite, surgery that repositions the jaw bones, combined with orthodontic treatment, is the main treatment option.
The process step by step
- 1
First contact
You can send front and side photos of your face taken with your teeth together, any orthodontic history and a short description of your concerns by WhatsApp or e-mail, or call the practice. This information gives you a general idea of the options and helps plan the examination; the medical assessment and the decision take place at the examination in Nişantaşı.
- 2
Consultation and 3D analysis
At the practice in Nişantaşı, Prof. Dr. İlker Yazıcı assesses the balance of your profile, your bite and the thickness of the soft tissues; the goal is discussed together using 3D facial imaging and simulation.
- 3
Imaging and preparation
If bone surgery is planned, a panoramic X-ray or CT scan is requested. Blood tests, an anaesthetic assessment and adjustments to medication and smoking follow, and you receive a written plan and cost information.
- 4
Surgery
The operation is performed under general anaesthesia in an accredited partner hospital, usually through the mouth, and generally takes 1–2 hours. Patients go home the same day or after one night.
- 5
First week and check-ups
Supportive tape is applied to the chin, and a soft diet and mouth rinses are recommended. The first check-up is within a few days, with further check-ups at 1 week and 1 month.
- 6
Long-term follow-up
The shape and any changes in sensation are assessed at 3 and 6 months; after bone surgery, healing of the bone is checked with an X-ray if needed.
Recovery timeline
Days 1–3
The chin is taped, swollen and feels tight; numbness of the lower lip and chin is common. Eat soft, lukewarm food and rinse your mouth after every meal. Call the clinic straight away if swelling increases quickly, or if there is bleeding or a fever.
Week 1
The tape is removed; the stitches inside the mouth usually dissolve on their own. Swelling starts to go down, and bruising may move down towards the neck.
Week 2
Most of the visible swelling and bruising has gone; most people return to desk work and social life. A normal diet is resumed gradually.
Weeks 4–6
Exercise is resumed gradually; because the bone is still healing, contact sports wait for your surgeon's approval.
Month 3
The remaining swelling has largely settled; for most people the numbness of the lower lip has eased considerably by this point.
Months 6–12
The chin settles into its final shape, and changes in sensation have usually resolved; the final assessment is made during this period.
Risks and possible complications
Every surgical procedure carries risks. Your personal risk is assessed in detail at the consultation.
- Altered sensation in the lower lip and chin: temporary numbness from stretching of the nerve is common; rarely it is permanent.
- Infection: because the incision is inside the mouth, oral hygiene is important; if an infection develops around an implant, the implant may have to be removed.
- Bleeding and a collection of blood (haematoma).
- Asymmetry, a step that can be felt at the edge of the bone, or an irregular contour.
- Shifting of the implant, or gradual erosion of the bone beneath it.
- Plates and screws that can be felt under the skin; if they cause discomfort, they can be removed later.
- Damage to the tooth roots or temporary altered sensation in the front teeth (rare).
- Sagging of the soft tissue of the chin, or a temporary change in the movement of the lower lip.
- Risks related to general anaesthesia; your individual risk is discussed during the anaesthetic assessment.
What determines the cost?
The cost of chin surgery depends on the method chosen and the extent of the operation, so it would not be accurate to quote a single figure before an examination. The main factors are which method is considered appropriate (sliding genioplasty, a chin implant or filler), the plates, screws or implant used, the length of the operation, tests such as a panoramic X-ray or CT scan, the hospital stay and anaesthesia costs, and whether the operation is combined with another procedure such as rhinoplasty.
After the examination with Prof. Dr. İlker Yazıcı, you receive a written, itemised quote for the planned procedures that states what is included. If orthognathic surgery is needed, orthodontic treatment and jaw surgery are planned and costed separately; this is made clear at the examination.
If you are coming to Istanbul
The practice is authorised by the Turkish Ministry of Health for international health tourism (certificate no. ST-2365); help with accommodation near the clinic and airport transfer can be arranged through authorised partners. If you are travelling from abroad or from another city for chin surgery, plan to stay in Istanbul for about 5–7 days, until the first check-ups have been done; when it is combined with rhinoplasty, this extends to 7–10 days, until the splint is removed. Back home, you stay in touch with the practice by sending photos and messages; if something needs to be examined, a check-up in Istanbul or a visit to a local doctor is arranged. Return visits to the practice are usually advised at 1 and 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
Is chin surgery painful, and when can I go back to work?
Chin surgery is performed under general anaesthesia, so you feel no pain during the operation. In the first days there is tightness, swelling and tenderness when chewing, which is usually controlled with the prescribed painkillers. Most people return to desk work and social life within 7–14 days; sport and heavy physical work wait 4–6 weeks. Patients travelling to Istanbul are advised to stay for about 5–7 days.
Does chin surgery leave a scar?
Sliding genioplasty and most chin implant operations are done through the inside of the lower lip, so there is no visible incision on the face, and the scar inside the mouth fades over time. In some cases a chin implant is placed through a 2–3 cm incision in the natural crease under the chin; unless the chin is viewed from below, this scar often goes unnoticed. Which route is used is decided at the examination.
Sliding genioplasty or a chin implant: which is right for me?
In sliding genioplasty the chin's own bone is cut and moved to a new position; the chin can be brought forward or back, shortened or lengthened, and asymmetry can be corrected. A chin implant is a shorter operation but only adds volume forwards and to the sides. An implant may be considered for a mild deficiency that is purely forward; if the height of the chin also needs to change, or there is asymmetry, sliding genioplasty is usually favoured. The choice is based on the examination and imaging.
Can chin filler be an alternative to surgery?
Hyaluronic acid filler can add volume to a slightly receding chin without surgery, and normal daily life resumes soon after the treatment. However, the effect is temporary and needs repeating at intervals, and filler cannot shorten the chin or bring it significantly forward. It also carries rare but serious risks, such as blocking a blood vessel. For a more marked deficiency, surgical methods are usually considered.
Can rhinoplasty and chin surgery be done in the same operation?
Yes. When the chin is set back, the nose can look larger than it is, so chin surgery is often planned in the same operation as rhinoplasty to balance the profile. Combining them means one anaesthetic and one recovery period; the operation takes longer, and the return to social life is set by the splint period of the rhinoplasty. The plan is made by reviewing the changes to the nose and chin together in the 3D simulation.
My chin is set back and my teeth do not meet properly. Is genioplasty enough?
If the teeth do not meet properly and the whole lower jaw sits too far back or forward, the problem usually lies not only in the chin but in the position of the jaw bones. In that case an assessment by an orthodontist and for orthognathic surgery is needed first. Genioplasty alone does not correct a bite problem and only partly balances the appearance; in some patients it is planned together with orthognathic surgery. The bite is always checked at the examination.
Who is chin surgery for, and at what age can it be done?
Chin surgery suits people whose facial skeleton has finished growing (usually over 18), whose bite is normal or has been corrected with orthodontic treatment, and whose profile is unbalanced because of the chin. General health must allow surgery, and there should be no active infection in the mouth. There is no upper age limit; in older patients, bone structure and general health are assessed separately.
Are chin surgery results permanent, and when is the final result visible?
In sliding genioplasty the bone heals in its new position, so the shape achieved is long-lasting; a chin implant also usually stays in place for many years. The surrounding soft tissues, however, continue to change with age like the rest of the face. Visible swelling goes down in the first two weeks, the remaining swelling has largely settled within 3 months, and the final shape after chin surgery usually settles within 6–12 months.
What does the cost of chin surgery depend on?
The cost of chin surgery depends on which method is chosen (sliding genioplasty, a chin implant or filler), the plates, screws or implant used, the length of the operation, whether it is combined with another procedure such as rhinoplasty, the imaging tests needed, and hospital and anaesthesia costs. After the examination with Prof. Dr. İlker Yazıcı, you receive a written, itemised quote based on the planned procedures.
What should I do about smoking and medication before chin surgery?
Smoking reduces blood supply, slows the healing of both the wound and the bone, and raises the risk of infection; stop at least 3–4 weeks before chin surgery and do not smoke during recovery. Blood thinners such as aspirin and some herbal supplements can increase bleeding. List every medicine you take at the consultation; which ones to stop, and when, is decided together with your doctor. Any dental or gum problems should also be treated before surgery.
Last updated: · Responsible for content: Prof. Dr. İlker Yazıcı · info@ilkeryazici.com