# Chin Implant > Citation bundle for Chin Implant on The Treatment Registry. > URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/procedures/chin-implant > Bundle URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/api/citations/procedures/chin-implant - Category: cosmetic-surgery ## Description Chin augmentation using surgical implants alter the underlying structure of the face, intended to balance the facial features. The specific medical terms mentoplasty and genioplasty are used to refer to the reduction and addition of material to a patient's chin. ## Overview Chin augmentation is a procedure that alters the underlying structure of the face to bring the chin into better balance with the other facial features. The medical terms mentoplasty and genioplasty refer to reducing or adding material to the chin, and augmentation can be achieved either with an implant or by working directly with the jaw bone. In the most common surgical approach, an incision is made under the chin or inside the lower lip, a pocket is created, and a chin implant is placed into it; some implants are fixed to the mandible while others are held by the pocket itself. Implants are made from several biocompatible materials: silicone, which is soft, smooth and easy to remove but may move, buckle or cause bone resorption where it contacts the mandible; porous polyethylene (Medpor), into which surrounding tissue grows so that it becomes fixed and harder to remove; and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex), which is held to the bone with titanium screws. An alternative that uses the patient's own bone is the sliding genioplasty, in which a horseshoe-shaped piece of the lower mandible is cut, an osteotomy, and advanced forward, then fixed with a titanium plate and screws; this generally produces a more pronounced change than a prosthetic implant. Chin augmentation is often, though not always, performed at the same time as rhinoplasty to help balance the facial proportions. ## Peer-reviewed outcome rates - **Complication rate:** 12.60% (range 7.50–17.70%) — from 2 cited sources ## Common risks - Implant movement or displacement - Buckling of the implant - Bone resorption where a silicone implant contacts the mandible - Infection, reported more often with the patient's own bone-graft implants ## FAQs ### What is chin augmentation? Chin augmentation alters the underlying structure of the face to balance the chin with the other facial features. The terms mentoplasty and genioplasty describe reducing or adding material to the chin, whether with an implant or by reshaping the jaw bone. ### How is a chin implant placed? An incision is made either under the chin or inside the lower lip, a pocket is formed, and the implant is placed into it. Some chin implants are fixed to the mandible, while others are held in place by the pocket itself. ### What materials are chin implants made from? Common materials include silicone, porous polyethylene (Medpor) and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex). They are used because they are biocompatible and have a low incidence of causing problems inside the body. ### What is a sliding genioplasty? A sliding genioplasty uses the patient's own bone as the implant. A horseshoe-shaped piece of the lower mandible is cut in an osteotomy and advanced forward, then held with a titanium plate and screws; it usually gives a more dramatic correction than a prosthetic implant. ### Is chin augmentation done with other surgery? It is often, but not always, performed at the same time as rhinoplasty to help balance the overall facial proportions. It can also be combined with more extensive jaw surgery in selected cases. ### Can chin surgery correct the bite? Augmenting the chin improves its cosmetic appearance but does not improve dental occlusion. Where a small chin coexists with a significant overbite, more involved orthognathic (jaw) surgery, such as mandibular advancement, may be required. ## Cited authors - Richard D Zeph — Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA. rzeph@zephcosmeticsurgery.com - Carlo M Oranges — From the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva. ## Sources - [Chin Augmentation Techniques: A Systematic Review.](https://doi.org/10.1097/PRS.0000000000010079) — Plastic and reconstructive surgery (accessed 2026-06-28) - [Custom-designed chin augmentation.](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsc.2007.09.007) — Facial plastic surgery clinics of North America (accessed 2026-06-28)