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Writer's pictureJonathan Alfi

Can a New Chin Help You Breathe?

A genioplasty, or chin augmentation, is an amazing way to get a desirable facial proportion. A custom 3D titanium implant is used not just to move the chin into the desired position, but can it also improve the airway? It depends. Not all genioplasty's achieve the same result. So what makes a genioplasty purely aesthetic vs. one that achieves an amazing functional result as well?


The airway is made up of the nose, lips, tongue, upper and lower jaw and soft tissues. When these don't fit together properly, it can lead to airway obstruction and sleep apnea. The symptoms associated with sleep apnea are many and can greatly decrease the quality of one's life. Double-jaw surgery can of course increase oxygen intake and ameliorate breathing. Yet many patients are curious about the role the genioplasty plays in their jaw surgery procedure, and whether a genio on its own can make breathing easier.


When done correctly, a genioplasty can give the tongue more room. This is due to the planning and the design of the surgical guide. At Alfi Oral Surgery, we make sure to account for certain anatomy to be moved forward during the genioplasty, in particular, the genial tubercle.


Here's how:



A custom titanium implant is a surgical tool specifically designed to precisely reshape the patient's chin, for a great fit and aesthetic outcome. At Alfi Oral Surgery, the custom 3D titanium implants are inserted during surgery, allowing the surgeon to adjust, reshape, and create a customized new look for the chin. Not only do these titanium surgical guides and plates allow for the chin to be moved into a more aesthetically pleasing position, but they allow for the capturing of the genio tubercle in the chin shape. Capturing the genial tubercle can work to improve the airway by it's attachment to the tongue. Thus when the chin moves forward, the tongue moves forward along with it because of its attachment to the genioglossus and geniohyoid muscles. This further allows for more air to enter the airway while breathing.


Designing these guides in 3D and having an expert understanding of one's anatomy makes for amazing genioplasty results that improve the airway and overall facial aesthetics of the patient. Genioplasties thus have been a great opportunity to not only bring about facial harmony but also to further improve on the airway of the patient. You can learn more about double jaw surgery and genioplasty procedures at www.AlfiOralSurgery.com.

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