The Chin Surgery Procedure

Procedure

To augment the chin, the professional makes an incision either in the natural crease line just under the chin or inside the mouth. Next, by slightly stretching this tissue, the surgeon creates a "pocket". An implant will be placed in that space.

The impant is made of synthetic material. The material feels like natural tissue normally found in the chin and is available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes in order to let custom fitting of the implant to adjust to the requirements of patient's face. Following the implantation, the surgeon will use fine sutures to close the incision. The incision under the chin usually leaves a very small scar; if the incision is inside the mouth, no scarring is visible.

Anesthesia

Most doctors performing chin plastic surgery will use a method referred to as "Twilight Sleep." This technique is designed to make the patients as comfortable as possible during and after surgery. This anesthesia makes the person really sleep though not completely asleep even though the patients have either partial or total amnesia to the events that occur in the operating room. This is why doctors refer to this anesthesia as "Twilight Sleep."

The anesthetic medications are delivered through an intravenous line. Sometimes if patients are anxious about surgery they may be asked to take medications the night before surgery to Even though most patients have amnesia to the surgery itself, by the time they return to the recovery area they are alert. In using this type of anesthesia patients are up and around - this is different thatn general anesthesia and hasless potential for side effects from medications as well as bruising or swelling.

Length

The actual surgery procedure, depending on the extent of the work, takes from less than an hour to approximately three hours.

Right after surgery, the surgeon usually applies a dressing that will remain in the operated area for two to three days. Post-operative discomfort can be controlled with prescribed medications and there may be a bit of discomfort. Chewing will probably be limited immediately after chin surgery, and a liquid and soft food diet may be required for a few days after the procedure. Some patients report a feeling of stretching after the surgery, but this usually subsides in a week.

Most swelling will be gone after approximately six weeks. Energetic activity may be prohibited for the first few weeks after surger but normal activity can be resumed after about 10 days.