Chin Surgery

Subtle changes in chin positioning can dramatically improve facial balancing, helping patients feel more confident. A smaller, or set-back chin can make the nose look larger, or increase the appearance of a double chin. Conversely, chins that project far beyond the nose or dramatically lengthen the face can also unbalance the face. Chin surgeries are popular cosmetic procedures that help patients feel more confident with a defined and balanced jawline and profile.

Our highly experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons have performed thousands of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. We invite you to book a consultation to discuss your goals and treatment options.

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Chin surgery benefits:

  • More sculpted, slimmer jawline and contour from the ear to the chin

  • Reduced chin dimpling

  • Better harmony between the nose and chin

  • Shortened or lengthened facial height, based on patient goals and anatomy

Chin augmentation surgery gives the chin more projection, lengthening the jawline. We achieve this by moving the jaw forward or by placing a subtle silicone implant in the chin to give it more projection. Chin reduction surgery involves removing some of the chin bone to correct an overly projected or long chin. For some patients, jaw surgery, also known as orthognathic surgery, can also address functional deficits, chewing difficulties, and how the teeth fit together while improving facial aesthetics.

What to Expect

Our goal during chin surgery is to achieve a strong, youthful, defined, and well-balanced jawline. Poor chin surgeries look unnatural, are asymmetric, or show visible scars. As experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons, we are experts at handling delicate facial skin, fascia, fat, and muscular tissues to achieve noticeable yet natural-looking results.

Before your chin surgery, we’ll meet to discuss your goals, anatomy, and medical history. We’ll take measurements and photographs and will make a treatment recommendation. During this chin surgery consultation, we’ll also talk about potential risks and complications, surgical options, anesthesia options, recovery, and aftercare instructions. Here’s what you can expect during your chin surgery procedure:

Sedation: Based on your unique goals and our surgical approach, your chin surgery procedure may be performed under a local anesthetic, IV sedation, or general anesthesia. 

Incisions: The incision patterns vary depending on our treatment approach, and may involve small incisions placed discreetly inside the mouth or hidden under the chin.

Chin Reshaping: We will either augment the chin by moving bone or adding a silicone implant. For chin reductions, we can shave down the chin bone or perform an osteotomy by cutting the bone to move it back to achieve a more natural projection. Finally, we’ll close the incisions with sutures. 

We perform chin surgeries as outpatient procedures at our accredited Northern Arizona SurgiCenter in Flagstaff. Chin surgeries typically take an hour and you can go home the same day. If you are having general anesthesia or IV sedation, then you will need to have somebody drive you home.

Medical Review: This procedural information has been medically reviewed by plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Brian A. Cripe, M.D.

Chin Surgery Recovery and Aftercare

To optimize healing, we ask our patients to follow these recovery guidelines after their procedure. If you notice increased redness, discharge, or pain near your incision, please give us a call right away.

  • Sleep with your head elevated for the first few days following surgery. This helps improve swelling.

  • Walk around to promote blood flow, but avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for four weeks.

  • Minimize chewing for the first day after surgery.

  • We may prescribe pain medication, or you can use over-the-counter pain relievers, such as extra-strength Tylenol, for mild pain.

  • If your incisions are in the mouth, you may need to use a post-operative mouthwash to keep the area clean, and you may be advised to not eat hard foods for four weeks.

Chin Surgery FAQs

Every plastic surgery practice offers different pricing. The national average procedural fee for chin augmentation surgery is around $3,000, plus the cost of anesthesia, surgical facility costs, and medications. Please set up a consultation with one of our surgeons to learn more about the procedure and to receive a personalized quote.

We generally perform chin surgery on patients who are healthy, nonsmokers, and who don’t have any medical conditions that may impede wound healing. BMI is also a factor we take into account. When you meet with one of our surgeons for your chin surgery consultation, we will discuss your goals and anatomy to determine which cosmetic procedures would be best suited to meet your unique needs.

At our practice, we offer interest-free financing options through Care Credit and PatientFi.

Some patients will opt to combine their chin reshaping procedure with a rhinoplasty, also called a nose job, to further balance facial features, projection, and profile contours. 

Neck liposuction can help further sculpt and define the jawline during chin augmentation or chin reduction procedures. Some patients also combine their chin surgery with a neck lift, rhinoplasty, facial fat grafting, a mini facelift, or a full facelift. 

At Plastic Surgeons of Northern Arizona, we provide discounts for subsequent cosmetic procedures. Booking multiple facial cosmetic procedures at once is much more affordable than standalone surgeries and reduces recovery time.

If you aren’t ready for chin surgery, you can achieve temporary results with non-surgical treatments. For example, we can inject dermal fillers into the chin to augment its shape and projection, and lengthen the jawline’s appearance. Dermal fillers injected along the jawline, or by the masseters can also strengthen the jawline. Botox may be injected into the masseters to relax those muscles, slimming the sides of the face, and making the jawbone more pronounced. However, these results are temporary and will not yield the same long-lasting benefits of chin reshaping surgery.

Patients who want to slow down signs of aging in the face and neck may also benefit from laser skin rejuvenation, regular facials, and microneedling treatments, which we also provide at our offices in Flagstaff, Arizona. 

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  • Laser Skin Resurfacing

  • Neck Lift

  • Nose Surgery

Book Your Chin Surgery Appointment

Our experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons have performed hundreds of chin surgeries and maxillofacial procedures. We would love to bring you in for a chin surgery consultation to discuss your desired outcomes and treatment options. Fill out this form to receive a call-back shortly, or give us a call at 928-774-2300.