Facial Aesthetic

Other Aesthetic Facial Procedures

Genioplasty and jawline surgery are procedures designed to improve the balance, projection, and definition of the lower face. They can enhance facial proportions, create a more harmonious profile, and address functional issues such as malocclusion when combined with orthognathic (upper or lower jaw) surgery. These operations can involve modifying the bone (osseous surgery) or using implants (alloplastic augmentation). Jawline surgery can target the chin, jaw angles, or the entire lower face, depending on patient's goals and underlying anatomy.

Types of Procedures

Genioplasty (Chin Surgery)

Osseous genioplasty (sliding genioplasty): Reshapes the patient's own chin bone via an incision inside the mouth. The chin segment can be moved forward, backward, upward, downward, narrowed, or widened. The bone is secured with small plates and screws. Patient-specific cutting guides and custom plates can be used for precise three-dimensional adjustment. Occasionally, bone grafts or substitutes may support movement forward or downward.
‍Alloplastic chin augmentation (chin implant): Uses a pre-formed or custom implant (usually porous polyethylene) placed through a small incision under the chin or inside the mouth. Enhances projection, width, or shape without altering the bone. Suitable for patients needing augmentation without major repositioning.

Jawline Surgery

Alloplastic jawline augmentation: Jaw angle or jawline implants enhance width, definition, and contour of the mandible. Pre-formed or custom implants (usually porous polyethylene) provide stronger angles, a more defined jawline, or better balance for the lower face.‍
Jaw angle reduction (V-line or mandible contouring): Common in Asian facial aesthetic surgery. Involves shaving or reducing jaw angles via intraoral incisions to soften a square or heavy lower face and create a slimmer, tapered jawline.

Indications

Genioplasty and jawline surgery correct bony deficiency or excess in the lower face. They address recessed or overly prominent chins, wide or narrow lower faces, and jaw angle imbalance. These procedures improve proportion and harmony of the lower third of the face, and can refine or complete results after orthognathic surgery when additional contouring or definition is desired.

Specific concerns that can be addressed include:

Retrogenia (Recessed Chin): Brings the chin forward to improve the jaw–neck angle and facial harmony, particularly when the neck appears fuller or the nose more prominent
Prognathia (Overly Projected Chin or Jaw): Reduces excessive projection via setback genioplasty or jaw contouring to restore proportional relationships across facial thirds.
‍Facial Asymmetry: Corrects off-centre chins or uneven jaw angles caused naturally, by trauma, or previous surgery using bone reshaping, contouring, or selective augmentation.‍
Weak Jawline or Poor Angle Definition: Jawline implants or osseous reshaping improve structure and sharpness. This is also used in gender-affirming facial contouring to masculinize the jawline.‍
Wide Lower Face: Jaw angle reduction refines broad or square lower faces, while augmentation can add width to narrow lower faces. Combined reduction genioplasty and V-line jaw surgery creates a slimmer and tapered chin appearance, often used in gender-affirming facial contouring to feminize the jawline.
‍Age-related or Post-traumatic Changes: Restores structure and definition lost through ageing, trauma, or previous surgery. Can be performed alone or with rejuvenation procedures like facelift, neck lift, rhinoplasty, lip lift, or buccal fat removal.

What to Expect

First Week

Swelling and bruising are expected, especially in the first few days. Tightness, numbness, or firmness along the chin or jawline is common. A soft diet is recommended until intraoral incisions are healed. Most patients can speak normally but may feel stiff or tender. A supportive garment or tape is worn over the chin. Ice packs are recommended for the first 24 hours, and sleeping with the head elevated reduces swelling. All sutures inside the mouth are dissolving and do not require removal.

Weeks Two to Three

Swelling gradually settles and bruising fades. Most patients feel comfortable resuming normal social activities. Numbness around the chin or lower lip may persist but usually improves progressively.

After Four Weeks

Residual swelling continues to decrease. The jawline becomes more defined as tissues settle into their final shape. Most patients can return to full activity, including sports, after six weeks. Final results may take several months for bone and soft tissues to stabilise.

Potential Risks

All surgical procedures carry some risks. Possible complications include swelling, bruising, temporary numbness of the chin, lips, or jaw, infection, and hematoma. Implant-specific risks include displacement, malposition, or dissatisfaction with cosmetic results. Bone surgery carries a rare risk of delayed union or non-union. Nerve injury may cause prolonged or, rarely, permanent changes in sensation. Scarring can occur if external incisions are used, and revision surgery may be required to refine the outcome.

If you have any questions about the above procedures or would like to arrange a consultation, please contact us at Terrace Plastic Surgery.

‍

Note that for facelift procedures in Brisbane, Dr Phua follows AHPRA requirements that include a minimum of two consultations, a cooling-off period before offering surgery, and screening for dysmorphic body disorder.

‍