Estimating Implant Size in Chin Augmentation: A Simplified Approach

Abstract

A receding chin, colloquially known as a weak chin, is a significant aesthetic impediment to a pleasing face. Multiple techniques exist to evaluate the poorly projecting chin, but most are imprecise when it comes to choosing the proper implant size. This choice is further complicated by the impracticality of commercially available chin implants. Most implant manufacturers offer only three to four categories of implants (small, medium, large, etc) that differ in size from one company to another, making the choice of the proper implant size a real challenge. The present paper discusses a new approach to precise sizing of the chin implant, based primarily on the degree of chin convexity (curvature of the chin pad) in the profile view. Examples of mentoplasties performed using the chin convexity principle are presented.