Jaw Aesthetics

Harmony of the upper and lower jaw is an essential part of the facial beauty. Jaws maintains feeding. Teeth of the upper and lower jaws should meet to each other properly during closure. The name of this relationship is called as “occlusion”. If occlusion is abnormal it results both medical and aesthetic problems. Serious occlusion disorders are treated by orthodontist and plastic surgeons together.

In a harmonious face the most outer part of the chin should be on the same plane with the upper border of the nose in the side view. Sometimes chin can be placed more posterior or anterior position then the ideal even the occlusion is normal. This situation may create aesthetic problems. Particularly back positioning of the chin (which is more frequent then the over protrusion) creates an illusion as the nose is bigger than the normal. At least 10% of the patients asking aesthetic nose operations have inadequate chin prominence. In these patients chin augmentation should be included to the nose aesthetics for a successful result. Back positioning of the chin also results an obscure neck angle and compromises the neck beauty.

Treatment of inadequate chin prominence (with normal occlusion) includes:

Augmentation with fat injection: Also called as “lipofilling”. Harvested fat from the same person is injected into the chin.

Augmentation with fillers: Hyaluronic Acid, Poly L Lactic Acid, Collagen, Calcium Hydroxylapatite are some examples of ready to use injectables.

Prosthesis (implants): Custom designed inorganic materials like silicon and MEDPOR® (porous high-density polyethylene – PHDPE) can be inserted into the chin between lower lip and bone.

Treatment of over projected chin (with normal occlusion) is removal or shave the prominent part of the bone by operation.

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