Genioplasty - Honest Opinions Please

[Clairey Fairey]

Hey,

I had braces back on 2007-2008 when I was an active member of this board. At the time I it was suggested that I have jaw surgery but wussed out as it sounded horrific - full credit to those who've been through it, you are braver than me.
Anyway go forward 8 years and I have really been having issues with my receding chin which seems to have got worse with age (I'm in my 30's now). I hate my appearance, especially from the side and it has got to the point where my self confidence has pretty much had it. I was originally looking into having it corrected with a chin implant but now I've been offered a genioplasty on the NHS so needless to say I'm confused as to which one to go for. My consultation for the implant was with a Harley Street plastic surgeon whereas the genioplasty is with a maxillofacial surgeon whose opinion I would probably trust more.

Could someone please advise on the following for the genioplasty:
Recovery time - process, swelling etc
Internal stitches - what are they like? (with the implant they go externally under the chin)
Issues with numbness is a concern, anyone had experience with this?

I've read a lot on chin implants as there seems to be much more info out there, but again any advice on this from people who had it done would be appreciated.

I've never had surgery before so this is completely new to me, any advice, experiences are welcome.

Thanks

[javisst]

Hello there, I'm not sure if you saw my other post, but I had the sliding genioplasty in February of 2014. Although there has certainly been an aesthetic improvement, I've been left with numbness in my front 4 teeth as well as tightness in my chin. I had Botox injections to address the tightness but it didn't help. I will say that my experience seems to be unique among people who've had genioplasties, and I suspect some of the tightness is due to the fact that I clench my teeth, but if I could go back in time I might have opted for a custom implant.

To answer your other questions, the incision is made inside the mouth and swelling subsides after a few weeks.

[jaime]

The term "genioplasty" can refer to using an implant...specifically, you're asking about sliding genioplasty, which uses your mandible. Just an FYI as others may get confused about what you're asking.

I had a sliding genio along with double jaw surgery in June, so there were no additional stitches. The stitches were never a concern for me...generally they dissolve after a week or two. There can be some tightness along the incision line but it doesn't last too long.

I had a persistent throbbing feeling in my chin for maybe 2 weeks after surgery and my chin was pretty sensitive to even the lightest touch.

Like javisst, I have tightness in my chin. Hard to say if it's going to improve. Functionally it doesn't seem to affect anything, but it is kind of annoying. The feeling in the front of my chin is reduced but isn't completely numb. From all the blogs and whatnot I've read, permanent numbness and tightness are fairly common. I don't know that I've read anyone say that their chin has completely gone back to normal. So do keep that in mind if you decide to go ahead with it.

[snapdresser]

If you really have a particular procedure in mind and aren't willing to accept the risks of the other procedure, I don't think you should allow yourself to be pressured into it. The risks are real and it wouldn't be fun to be in a situation where you have some partial numbness and you're angry at the surgeon for pressuring you into getting a sliding genio you didn't want.

That said, my chin is basically back to normal at this point. I'm not really experiencing any tightness or numbness anymore. Where the sutures were inside my lower lip I can still kinda feel the scar tissue or something in there. It's a strange feeling and I'm mindful of it probably 70% of the day so that's annoying. I'm very pleased with my aesthetic outcome, too. It's night and day, really

[Clairey Fairey]

Hi thanks for your replies.
It is a sliding Genioplasty I am referring to. Very confused, there seems to be far more long term affects of this surgery but at the same time I feel like I'm not going to get this opportunity again. Ummmm its a tough call, the implant does seem like a much simpler option but worried about possible future regret not taking the genioplasty option when it was offered. What was recovery like? How long until you could eat/talk normally again?

Thank you for your help

[snapdresser]

The scar tissue I was speaking of, as well as pretty much all my issues talking and eating after the surgery were probably due more to the BSSO and LeFort I than the sliding genio. If you were to get JUST the sliding genio, you could expect a much easier recovery and much less scarring, I would think. Maybe someone who just had a sliding genio could chime in?

[Clairey Fairey]

After A LOT of research I have now decided to go private and pay for the chin implant as it is a simpler surgery, less complications, quicker recovery time and is reversible. I feel the sliding genio is too extreme for me and the surgeon is confident I can achieve a good result without the risks of a genioplasty. I won't be having it until Feb so I will post then exactly how it goes. I can't wait