Chin Augmentation (Mentoplasty) in Tijuana

The real decision

Why the chin is judged in profile, not head-on

When someone dislikes their profile, the reflex is almost always to blame the nose — and sometimes that diagnosis is correct. But often the real issue is somewhere else: a retruded chin (what surgery calls mild retrognathia) throws off the balance of the whole face seen from the side, and that imbalance makes the nose read as proportionally larger than it actually is.

The reason is geometric, not optical. The profile is evaluated as a relationship between three points: the forehead, the nasal tip, and the chin tip. When the chin sits behind where it should, that line breaks backward in the lower third, and the eye — without the person knowing why — reads the nose as projecting more than it does in absolute terms. It’s a proportion problem between structures, not the isolated size of either one.

This has a practical, honest consequence worth stating: some profiles are better resolved with mentoplasty than with rhinoplasty, and some need both to look balanced. Evaluating the chin before — or instead of — operating on the nose isn’t a detour; it’s the correct order of the conversation.

Candidacy

Who’s usually a candidate, and what’s assessed first

Usually considered when there’s a retruded, under-projected, or asymmetric chin that affects profile balance, when your general health is good, and when you have realistic expectations about what a change of a few millimeters can do for how your whole face reads. The assessment almost always starts with profile photographs and, surgically, with an analysis of the relationship between the chin, lower lip, and bite.

Here’s a distinction worth knowing before your assessment: if the disproportion is mainly soft tissue and position, an implant is usually enough. If there’s a more significant skeletal component — a short jaw, or a bite relationship that also plays a role — jawbone advancement (genioplasty), or even a joint evaluation with a maxillofacial surgeon, may be what actually corrects the cause, not just the visual symptom.

As with any facial surgery, nicotine use, uncontrolled illness, and a history of difficult scarring are factors that can postpone the procedure or require a broader medical evaluation before scheduling a date.

Chin implant vs. jawbone advancement

Chin implant vs. jawbone advancement (genioplasty): when each applies

These are two distinct ways of solving the same profile problem, and they aren’t interchangeable: which one applies depends on how large the disproportion is and where it comes from. Neither is “better” in the abstract — one is more appropriate than the other for your anatomy.

• Chin implant — Adds projection with a biocompatible prosthesis placed in front of the existing bone, through a small incision under the chin or inside the mouth. The more frequent path when the deficiency is moderate and the base bone sits in a reasonable position.
• Jawbone advancement (genioplasty) — Cuts and repositions the chin bone itself, which can correct larger disproportions or asymmetries that an implant doesn’t resolve well; in some cases combined with orthognathic surgery when the bite is also part of the problem.
• When the implant is the right call — Moderate projection deficiency, base bone in a reasonable position, and the goal is a more conservative change.
• When advancement is the right call — More marked retrognathia, skeletal asymmetry, or a bite that’s also part of the diagnosis.

How it’s performed

The surgery, step by step

The procedure takes place in a hospital setting, generally with local anesthesia and sedation or general anesthesia depending on your case — defined with you in the assessment. Access is usually from inside the mouth or through a small fold under the chin.

Chin implant: a sized, biocompatible implant is placed in front of the existing bone through the chosen access point, then secured in position.

Jawbone advancement: the chin bone is cut and repositioned to the planned projection, then fixed with plates or screws so it consolidates in the new position.

We don’t show images of the procedure itself — the information here is educational, not graphic. The exact approach, incision, and anesthesia are defined in your in-person assessment.

Risks and considerations

Honesty first

Because of how close the mental nerve runs, numbness in the lower lip or chin is common early on in mentoplasty; add to that the possibility of bone resorption under the implant over time, a documented long-term phenomenon. These are the considerations explained in detail in your assessment:

Lower lip or chin numbness: common early on due to proximity to the mental nerve; resolves within weeks for most patients, though it can persist longer.

Implant asymmetry or malposition: may require a later surgical adjustment if the implant shifts during healing.

Infection: as with any incision-based procedure, with low rates when sterile technique and post-operative care are followed.

Long-term bone resorption under the implant: a documented phenomenon in some patients, more relevant the longer the implant has been in place.

Genioplasty-specific risks: fixation that doesn’t consolidate as expected, temporary sensory changes, and a longer recovery than an implant.

Visible scarring or temporary asymmetry while swelling on each side resolves at its own pace, and risks inherent to anesthesia.

Results

Implant or jawbone advancement: how the decision is made

The right path isn’t chosen by preference — it’s chosen by what your profile analysis shows: whether the disproportion is mainly soft tissue and position, or whether there’s a skeletal component that needs correcting at the bone level. Dr. Chama walks you through both readings before recommending either one.

We don’t publish photographs of chin surgery results yet. We’ll publish only results shown well after the surgical event, with patient consent. In the meantime, in your assessment you can review cases directly with Dr. Chama.

Logistics for U.S. patients

Coming from the United States

If you live in the United States and are evaluating a profile change, you don’t need to cross the border for the first conversation. We see patients in Spanish and English and can start with a virtual consultation: we review your profile photos, discuss whether your case points more toward an implant or a jawbone advancement, and answer questions before you plan a trip.

For most chin-surgery plans, the immediate post-op is shorter than other facial surgeries, but it’s worth staying near Tijuana the first days while initial swelling resolves and the first check-up happens. Later follow-up visits — as numbness eases or the bone consolidates, in genioplasty — can be coordinated remotely once you’re back home.

Frequently asked questions

What patients ask us most

Schedule your virtual consultation

Your quote is personalized. Message us and we’ll guide you, no commitment.