Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi everyone.

My name is Angela. I am 34 years old, and work as an RN. When I was 12, I had braces. I also wore headgear for a pretty bad overbite, but I don't know how many millimeters it was off. I also had a very wide gap in my front teeth that braces fixed. The day the braces came off, my orthodontist recommended that in the future I consider a chin implant. Recently I decided to do something about my recessed chin. It has always bothered me, but I felt guilty about wanting to fix it. Now I realize that it's one of the only things I ever really wanted. So now, game on! Since chin implants are known for migrating and infection, I have decided on sliding genioplasty. I read that there is less chance of complication down the road, but that it's more involved in the beginning. I've read about jaw advancement, but when I bite down the lower teeth are right up against the backs of the upper teeth. So, I don't think it's anything to do with my bite being off or that I would benefit from jaw advancement.

I live in Alaska and would like to have the surgery done out of state. I'm willing to fly to Seattle, Portland, anywhere in California...I even thought of Arizona, but that's just too far away to fly. If I can just find the right doctor to do this for me, it will be a dream come true. I've tried everything in the past to help fix it-haircuts, makeup, wearing appropriate colors...I even exercise and take good care of my health. But at the end of the day, I still want my chin fixed. The lower jaw is round, not oval like I know it could be if it were just a little bit longer. I think that with SG, both vertical and horizontal advancement is possible. This will be for me what braces were almost able to accomplish 20 years ago. I can hardly wait!!! I've been working extra, putting money aside, and am giving myself a goal of 6 months to find 6 doctors I want to interview to do the procedure.

I just joined this message board today, and realize I have some research to do. I still want to jump in and ask though, who has had SG? Are you happy with the outcome? How did you choose your doctor? What kind of doctor did it, a Maxillofacial, Craniofacial, PS...? How long have you had it, would you do it again, and have there been any complications?

This is a lengthy post, and if you've made it this far, I want to say thank you for taking the time to share your time with me, and for sharing your ideas and experiences too. Any and all help is so appreciated. This is definitely a project that I feel utterly alone in, as no one I know has ever even "heard" of this procedure, much less knows anyone who has had it.

Thanks again!!!--Angela

Hi Angela,

Chin implants are a great option as well as a sliding genioplasty. Both have pros and cons.

I believe chin implants are better in a situation where there is not much bone stock and you have to advance the chin quite a bit. The esthetic result is much better and if the implant does not migrate, it rarely causes a problem. I always fixate my implants. If you decide to do a sliding genioplasty, you can end up with a button chin in certain situations and large chin advancements are susceptible to some resorption.

Sliding genioplasties can be done with almost no complications. If the bone stock is there and the advancement is not large, I prefer a sliding genioplasty.

Hope this helps in your quest!

Good luck!

So I've had both the chin implant and now the SG. Ironically enough like yourself I'm also an RN. So I had my implant removed at almost the 6 moth mark! It was asymmetrical and stuck out of my face on one side. I'm long between the bottom of my lip and chin. So the implant made me look even longer. Yet it can be easily removed. They went through an incision under my chin and now I have an intraoral incision which I think hurts less and you can't see it. As for the SG I went to a cranio facial PS. He has 25+ years experience and specializes in the chin, he was the PS for the I AM A SPAMMER!!!!! hockey team where I live sounds great right! Well I'm currently 11 days post op for a rhino, chin implant removal and SG. I'm definitely freaking out more about my front profile view. I look like I have the "U" face, it looks kind of like a mans chin. It's so wide if that makes sense. I also have numbness in my bottom lip, bottom teeth and gums and in the chin. Of course I have heard that's normal and of course people are like be patient your still swollen. I know that too. I mean I still have bruises eyes and a neck to match from these surgeries. I kinda wished I would have been patient and tried to go to NYC to Dr. Jamali but I don't know anyone there and I live in Texas. I would be having to drag my husband to NY and park it for a good week. Not the way I want my first trip to NYC to go per say. However I think his results look great. I did look at B&A pics my Dr showed and they looked good as in the person did look better before than after but I couldn't really find reviews for what I got done. Now I look in the mirror and I don't feel pretty the way I did before. I'm like maybe I was beautiful with my recessed chin and that's just me and should have left it alone. I can't tell you what is right for you and I read horror stories which didn't stop me. My husband suggest I leave my face alone and again it didn't stop me. I wish you the best on your search.