Chin and cheek implants at a glance
- DurationAbout 1 hour
- AnaesthesiaGeneral or local with sedation
- Hospital stayDay surgery
- Social downtime3 to 7 days
- Final result3 months
- Price€3,000 to €4,000
Facial implants add lasting volume to the chin or cheeks when the bone is underdeveloped or the face has lost volume. They are made of silicone or porous polyethylene (Medpor), sculpted to measure and fixed with sutures or micro-screws. The operation takes about 1 hour, under general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia with sedation, as day surgery at Clinique Oxford in Cannes. Social activities are resumed within 3 to 7 days and the final result can be assessed at 3 months.
Price: chin implant €3,000 to €4,000; cheek implants €3,000 to €4,000; on a written quote after a consultation (€100).
Silicone or Medpor: what is the difference?
| Silicone implant | Porous polyethylene implant (Medpor) | |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency | Soft, flexible | Harder, not very flexible |
| Choice of shapes and sizes | Very wide | More limited |
| Fixation | With sutures | With micro-screws; the tissues then grow into the implant |
| Risk of displacement | Low thanks to the fixation | Even lower (bio-integration) |
| Incision | Smaller | Sometimes slightly larger |
| Bone under the implant in the long term | Resorption possible | Very little or no resorption |
| Removal if needed | Easier | More difficult |
Porous polyethylene is commonly used in reconstructive surgery of the skull and face. Its structure, similar to a synthetic bone, means it can be sculpted in place to fit each patient’s anatomy.
Chin implant, genioplasty or injection: how to choose?
| Chin implant | Genioplasty | Hyaluronic acid injection | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principle | An implant is placed on the chin bone | The chin bone is cut and moved | A gel is injected |
| What it corrects | Weak chin (augmentation only) | Receding, protruding, too long, too short or asymmetrical chin | Receding, narrow or short chin |
| Scar | Under the chin or inside the mouth | None visible (inside the mouth) | None |
| How long the result lasts | Permanent | Permanent | Temporary |
| Price | €3,000 to €4,000 | €3,000 to €6,000 | From €350 |
Fat grafting (lipofilling) is not a good option for advancing the chin; it can, however, soften certain contours and refine the result of an implant or a genioplasty.
The chin implant
Who is it for? A weak chin, without a dental bite problem or a misalignment of the jaws requiring osteotomies. Depending on the shape and position of the implant, the chin can be made stronger, wider or longer. Advancing the chin also gives better definition to the neck.
Technique. The incision is made under the chin or inside the mouth. A pocket is created on the chin bone and along the jaw; the implant is put in place, sculpted to measure, then fixed with micro-screws or sutures. The closing stitches are dissolvable.
Before: a weak chin; the chin bone is underdeveloped.
- 1Chin bone
- 2Implant sculpted to measure, placed on the bone
- 3Fixation with a micro-screw or sutures
- 4Mental nerve, preserved
Cheek implants
Who is it for? Cheekbones that have been flat since birth, or cheeks that have hollowed with age and give a tired look. Some patients have already had hyaluronic acid injections, which are temporary, and are looking for a lasting solution.
Technique. The implant is placed through a small incision inside the mouth or through the lower eyelid. The eyelid approach suits older patients or cases where a blepharoplasty is combined; the approach through the mouth suits other cases, with a slightly higher risk of infection. A pocket is created to measure, and the implant is sculpted and then fixed with micro-screws or sutures. The operation can be performed on its own or combined with other procedures.
Alternatives: fat grafting (lipofilling), hyaluronic acid or Radiesse injections, subperiosteal midface lift.
Where the implants are placed
Implants in blue-green, seen through the skin; approaches in blue-green (dotted line: inside the mouth).
- 1Chin implant, placed on the bone
- 2Cheek implant, placed on the cheekbone
- 3Incision under the chin
- 4Incision inside the mouth (invisible)
- 5Incision under the lashes of the lower eyelid
Dr Médard de Chardon’s experience
- Qualified plastic surgeon in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, former Chef de Clinique (university hospital senior registrar), Nice Faculty of Medicine; in practice in Cannes since 2011; member of SOFCEP (French Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), SOFCPRE (French Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery) and ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).
- Practice of profile surgery: chin implants, genioplasty and rhinoplasty.
Before and after photos
Medpore™ chin implant for a receding chin
Genioplasty with a chin implant through a submental incision (under the chin)
Chin implant for a receding chin
Medpor™ chin implant through an intraoral incision (inside the mouth)
See all before and after photos of chin surgery
How is the operation carried out?
- Consultation€100: analysis of the face and choice of the best option according to its anatomical features; written quote. A statutory 15-day cooling-off period applies before any cosmetic surgery.
- Anaesthetic consultationBefore the operation.
- OperationAt Clinique Oxford in Cannes, in about 1 hour, under general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia with sedation, as day surgery.
What is the recovery like?
- Swelling: it slightly exaggerates the result at first and has mostly gone within 15 to 21 days.
- Bruising: sometimes, gone within 15 days.
- Pain: mild, mainly when chewing or talking in the case of a chin implant.
- No stitches to remove. Healing in 15 to 21 days; the scar reaches its final appearance at 1 year.
- Social activities resumed within 3 to 7 days; a few days off work.
- Final result at 3 months.
Where will you be?
14 days after the procedure
What are the risks?
- Temporary loss of sensation in the cheeks or lips.
- Infection: despite every precaution (asepsis, antibiotics), it remains possible. It is treated by temporarily removing the implant for 6 months and 15 days of antibiotics.
- Exposure of the implant.
- Displacement of the implant, rarer with Medpor thanks to its bio-integration.
- Contours visible under thin skin, despite the sculpting of the implant: they can be softened by hyaluronic acid injection or fat grafting (lipofilling).
Choosing a qualified, experienced and reputable surgeon reduces these risks, and can even eliminate some of them.
How much do chin or cheek implants cost?
€3,000 to €4,000
Chin implant or cheek implants: from €3,000 to €4,000, on a written quote after the consultation (€100). Surgery for cosmetic purposes is not covered by the Assurance Maladie (French national health insurance).
Book an appointment: +33 (0)4 93 68 86 68 or Doctolib.
Frequently asked questions about facial implants
Chin implant or genioplasty: which should I choose?
An implant is suitable for a chin that is simply weak, without a dental bite problem. Genioplasty, which moves the chin bone, can also move the chin back, shorten it or correct an asymmetry.
Silicone or Medpor: which implant should I choose?
Silicone is softer, comes in a great many shapes and is easier to remove. Medpor is colonised by the tissues, which limits displacement and bone resorption, but it is more difficult to remove. The choice is made at the consultation.
Does a chin implant leave a scar?
The incision is made either inside the mouth, with no visible scar, or under the chin. Healing takes 15 to 21 days and the scar reaches its final appearance at 1 year.
Are cheek implants permanent?
Yes, the implant is permanent, unlike hyaluronic acid injections, whose effect is temporary. It can be removed if needed, more easily if it is made of silicone.
Is the recovery after a facial implant painful?
Pain is mild, mainly when chewing or talking in the case of a chin implant. The swelling has mostly gone within 15 to 21 days.
What happens if a facial implant becomes infected?
The implant is removed temporarily for 6 months and antibiotic treatment is given for 15 days; a new implant can then be placed.
How much does a chin or cheek implant cost?
From €3,000 to €4,000, on a written quote after the consultation (€100).