What is a jaw implant?
One of the most important structures on our face is undoubtedly our chin. The chin protects the aesthetics of our appearance by providing integrity and connecting to the face. It gives the face a triangular and V-shaped appearance. But sometimes, depending on various reasons, this appearance can start to deteriorate. Some of these factors include aging, disease, surgery, or structural problems with the jaw or teeth. In such cases, the most accurate, reliable and restorative method that can be applied is jaw implant (mandible implant).
Chin implantation is a procedure performed to aesthetically correct facial contours, to fill the area in small or undefined jaws, and to provide the necessary proportion in the jaws that are forward. In other words, chin implant is a surgical procedure based on the principle of placing a suitable material on the jawbone in patients with no abnormalities in bone development and dental structure, with the aim of providing the patient with the planned aesthetic appearance.
What are the reasons for chin implants?
Although the chin implant is a form of treatment that is carried out for purely medical reasons, it is also carried out to achieve the proportional appearance that the patient wishes to see on his face in an aesthetic way. However, there are other reasons for jaw implantation as well and they are as follows:
- To lengthen the chin towards the front of the jawbone
- Proportioning the chin to the level of the nose
- To define and fill in the corners of the chin and give it a V appearance
- Provide proportional aesthetics to the face
- To normalise a weak or recessed jaw structure
- To correct the contours of the neck and chin
- To eliminate the appearance of a double chin, this procedure is used.
How is Jaw Implant surgery performed?
First of all, chin implant surgery is a surgical procedure and should be performed by professionals (surgeons). If this procedure is performed by a non-professional person, it should be remembered that the risk of developing complications related to the operation will increase.
Depending on the patient’s condition, the operation can be performed under local anaesthesia (sedation) or general anaesthesia. The first step in the procedure is to make a small incision under the jaw or intra-orally to make room for the implant. The implant is then properly placed around the jawbone. The procedure takes an average of 1 hour, after which the incision is closed with stitches and the appropriate jaw dressing is applied.
Who can have a jaw implant?
A chin implant is a safe, comfortable and quick healing procedure that can be performed on people with a weak jaw area, a protruding or receding jaw, problems with the proportion of the jaw to the face, speech, chewing and aesthetic problems, as well as people with jaw bone defects and skeletal problems such as slipping.
At what age is jaw implant performed?
The main factor determining the age at which a chin implant can be performed is the completion of bone development. As this is a procedure applied to the bone, individuals who have not completed this development will experience a decrease in getting efficiency from the implant, as well as the possibility of complications related to the procedure increases. As the bone development in girls and boys differs by 1-2 years and this limit is an average of 16 years for girls and 17 years for boys, it is recommended to be performed after the age of 18 in all individuals.
What is the recovery process after jaw implant?
To protect the incisions that begin to heal after surgery and to control swelling, it is necessary to sleep on your back with your head elevated for an average of 2 weeks. A liquid-only diet is recommended for 1 to 2 days after the operation.
It is often sufficient to wait an average of 7 days before returning to daily activities, while the waiting period for participating in strenuous activities is 3 to 4 weeks. Pain following dental implant surgery is usually minimal and responds well to prescribed painkillers and cold compresses.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jaw Implant
As the procedure is carried out under local (regional) or general anaesthetic, depending on the patient’s preference and general state of health, there is no pain. Only the needles used prior to regional anaesthesia can be slightly felt.
In general, the incisions are made inside the mouth, closed with stitches and bandaged. Although it depends on the type of surgery, there is usually no scarring after the procedure.
There are no known or proven side effects or harms of these implants. However, because the material is taken from outside the body, there may be differences in reaction from person to person (body to body).
There is no need to renew or replace implants unless the body reacts negatively and they need to be removed. They can be used permanently.
This procedure can be combined with neck, face and other aesthetic procedures. Combinations such as jowl, neck, facelift and rhinoplasty are among the most popular.
All operations have their own specific risks. However, the procedures used in jaw surgery are generally considered to be simple and low risk. It is therefore a safe and comfortable procedure with no additional risk factors other than the known risks of surgery and anaesthesia.
A chin implant is a procedure that provides the person with the desired aesthetic appearance and relief from discomfort, often does not need to be renewed, and is permanent for life.