The shape, alignment and definition of your jawbones and chin play a significant role in your facial profile. This is why the jawline can be one of the most impactful areas to address if you are looking to change the overall appearance of your face. It’s also one of the reasons facial bone contouring is such a popular request here at Asian Plastic Surgery.
In addition to its aesthetic applications, jaw surgery can yield functional improvements for certain patients. While this is not the primary focus of jaw surgery at our practice, it is something we can discuss during your consultation. Your surgeon will take all your concerns into consideration to establish a comprehensive individualised treatment plan.
Learn more about Asian jaw surgery in Sydney below and enquire here to meet with our bone contouring surgeon, Dr Quan Ngo.
What Is Asian Jaw Surgery?
Jaw surgery (also known as orthognathic surgery) is a broad term that describes multiple procedures. For Asian patients, some of the popular procedures that fall into this category are:
Double Jaw Surgery
Double jaw surgery (also called two-jaw surgery or bimaxillary osteotomy) involves both the upper and lower jaw. By addressing both jaw bones in unison, the surgeon has a great deal of flexibility to reshape, resize or reposition the bones to bring them into harmony. Double jaw surgery has a wide variety of functional and cosmetic applications.
V-Line Surgery
V-line surgery involves the lower jaw only. Through a combination of jaw surgery and genioplasty, V-line surgery achieves a more slender facial profile and a sharper, better-defined chin shape. V-line surgery is cosmetic only; it does not affect bite alignment or the ability to speak, chew, swallow or breathe.
Genioplasty
Genioplasty is the medical term for chin surgery. It is most commonly used to shift a retruded chin forward or set a protruding chin back, but it can also be used to alter the vertical height of the chin or correct asymmetry by repositioning the chin horizontally. Genioplasty can also be incorporated into procedures addressing lip incompetence or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
What Are the Cosmetic Benefits of Jaw Surgery?
Most jaw surgery patients at Asian Plastic Surgery come to us seeking cosmetic improvements. In many Asian countries, beauty standards for women favour a soft and delicate facial shape that resembles a heart or an oval, rather than a strong, angular jawline. For men, the opposite is often desirable — a defined lower jawbone rather than a “weak” jawline and a receding chin.
In some Asian populations, it is common to see a protruding chin nicknamed “lantern jaw”. Other common facial characteristics include flaring of the front teeth, a wide face with prominent cheekbones, a retruded mid-face, and a lack of brow and nasal projection.
The goals of cosmetic jaw surgery can include:
- Improving facial symmetry
- Narrowing the width of the face
- Creating a more oval or heart-shaped facial profile
- Refining an overly large or protruding chin
- Building up a retruded chin
- Correcting an overbite or underbite
- Tapering the jaw angle to reduce bulkiness or angularity
- Increasing jawline definition
- Creating a more pointed chin shape
- Improving the proportion of tooth show vs. gum show while smiling
What Are the Functional Benefits of Jaw Surgery?
In addition to cosmetically altering facial shape and proportions, jaw surgery can help correct various facial deformities and functional dental issues. One of the most common reasons for functional jaw surgery is to improve malocclusion (misalignment of the upper and lower teeth). This procedure is typically done in conjunction with an orthodontist to address an underbite, overbite or open bite.
Functional jaw surgery is also used to treat sleep issues, including chronic snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. This approach is generally considered for adult patients who cannot tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. This type of surgery has a very high rate of long-term satisfaction for patients who qualify.
Other benefits of functional jaw surgery can include:
- Improving the ability to swallow, bite or chew food
- Relieving headaches caused by chronic malocclusion
- Improving speech issues
- Correcting uneven wear of the teeth
- Reducing pain in the jaw joints (TMJ)
- Alleviating chronic mouth breathing
- Improving the ability to seal the lips over the teeth (thereby reducing facial muscle tension)
Corrective jaw surgery may be partly covered by Medicare and private medical funds. Certain criteria must be met in order to qualify, and there will likely be some out-of-pocket costs to prepare for.
What Other Benefits Can Jaw Surgery Have?
Beyond the specific improvements jaw surgery can achieve, there are other benefits to these procedures, including:
- Most (and in some cases all) of the incisions required for jaw surgery are placed inside the mouth, so there is little visible scarring
- Functional jaw surgery undertaken for bite or sleep issues may be eligible for insurance coverage
- Jaw surgery is typically permanent; there is no ongoing maintenance as there is with nonsurgical treatment options
Why Choose a Specialist Plastic Surgeon for Jaw Surgery?
Jaw surgery is performed by plastic surgeons as well as oral and maxillofacial surgeons. While there are many talented physicians in both categories, patients whose concerns are primarily aesthetic tend to prefer to see a plastic surgeon. This is because plastic surgeons focus on both function and form, making holistic changes that take the entire facial anatomy into consideration. This yields an aesthetics-conscious outcome while also producing functional improvements if they are needed.
Request Your Consultation at Asian Plastic Surgery
Whether you are interested in jaw surgery or nonsurgical treatments, choosing a qualified Specialist Plastic Surgeon is recommended. Meet with our bone contouring surgeon Dr Quan Ngo to learn more about Asian jaw surgery in Sydney. We look forward to discussing the possibilities with you.
