Background: A well defined and angular jawline has become a desired facial feature for many young men. (and some young women as well) While the strength of the male jawline has never gone out of style, the influence of the internet, social media and smart phones has made it more desirous than ever.
Improving a weak jawline has traditionally focused on chin augmentation. But in today’s contemporary plastic surgery jawline enhancement has evolved to be much more. The evolving styles of jaw angle implants ha enabled the back of the jaw to be augmented to go alone with chin augmentation. Total jawline augmentation is now possible with the use of combined chin and jaw angles implants. Their numerous styles and sizes allow a wide range of jaw enhancement effect.
But the use of preformed implants in a three-piece approach has its limitations. Because the implants are not connected a smooth transition from one implant to the other may not occur. This also limits any significant vertical lengthening effect of the complete jawline. Any jaw asymmetries will be also unlikely to be improved.
The fabrication of a custom jawline implant from a 3D CT scan has a valuable role to play in achieving a lower facial effect that even the best preformed chin and jaw angle implants can not. Because it is custom designed and made it is the best implant approach to have a smooth jawline effect with distinct angularity to it.
Case Study: This 25 year-old male wanted to improve the shape and definition of his jawline. He wanted some overall augmentation but more pertinently wanted a well defined and smooth jawline shape. A 3D CT scan was used to make a one-piece jawline implant that provided vertical length along the lower jawline as well as greater squareness to the chin and the jaw angles.
Under general anesthesia the jawline implant was placed through a combined external submental incision and bilateral intraoral incisions. It was able to be inserted as a single piece implant. (although not all custom jawline implants can be) It was secured with three point screw fixation.
His one year long-term result shows a much more distinct jawline shape with smooth connections from angle to angle. It is important to recognize that not all men, even younger men, can end with such a new jawline shape. One has to have thin facial tissues to show the full effects of the implant. This is evident in almost any face that has a distinct jawline….limited fat and loose skin to allow the shape and size of the lower jawbone to be seen.
Highlights:
1) Creating a well defined and crisp looking jawline requires a thinner face with little subcutaneous fat to see the outlines of the implant.
2) Only a custom jawline implant that wraps around the edge of the bone can create a smooth lower facial contour.
3) The dimensions of the implant are influenced by how much chin projection and the vertical and width increase of the jaw angles.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana