Background: While men make up the majority of aesthetic jaw implant augmentation surgeries there are some females who undergo it as well. They difference is in the custom jawline implant design which obviously is less significant in size and angularity. It has more of an overall V-shaped design with a more tapered chin shape and less width at the jaw angles in most cases.
In many very short chin and jawlines patient often undergo a chin implant first. The weak chin is the most obvious feature of a weak jawline and the chin implant is the most well jaw augmentation procedure. While providing some benefit it remains suboptimal as the jawline behind the chinm, which makes up two-thirds of the lower face, remains unchanged. The custom jawline is the next logical aesthetic progression.
One of the unrealized benefits of a custom jawline implant comes from its wrap around effect. While it creates a more visible transition between the face and the neck this increased jaw volume provides some rejuvenative benefit. In the younger patient it provides lifelong support to counter early jowling and sagging along the jawline. In the older patient it helps pick up some sagging tissues along the jawline as well as provides some protective effect against more severe soft tissue prolapse.
Case Study: This middle-aged female had a very short chin and jaw her entire life. She had a chin implant placed years ago which helped slightly. Her 3D CT scan showed a chin implant of 3mms projection that appeared to be placed upside down based on the natural shape of chin inplants. It was also positioned high upon the chin bone where the implant’s projection would be less effective.
Using the same 3D CT scan a custom jawline implant replacement was designed that increased the chin projection tom7mms and lowered its position on the bone. The jaw angle width was only 5mms with a more defined jaw angle shape.
Under general anesthesia the chin implant was exposed through the original submental incision. There was significant bone overgrowth up over the inferior aspect of the implant. The bone was chipped pff and the chin implant removed.
The custom jawline implant was placed through the submental incision aided by paired posterior intraoral incisions.
When seen five years later for another procedure her improved jawline was evident and had resisted further facial aging along the jawline.
While usually perceived for its aesthetic structural benefits a jawline implant also has some rejuvenative benefits in the ‘older’ patient. Besides lifting up loose tissues along the jawline and at the border of the upper neck it also provides longer term support to slow down the appearance of the descent of soft tissues over the jawline with ongoing aging.
Case Highlights:
1) Female jaw augmentation, like that of men, often originate from prior chin implant surgery.
2) Chin implants that are placed higher upon on the chin bone often develop significant bony overgrowth.
3) Female custom jawline implants in older patients help fill out loose soft tissues along the lower jaw and have a supportive effect long term.
Dr. Barry Eppley
World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon