Konstantinos Th. Makripidis M.D.
ENT Surgeon – Facial Plastic Surgery
Member of the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery
D.O.H.N.S. Royal College of Surgeons
(Article in the newspaper “Greece Tomorrow”)
Ponoplasty: One of the lesser known plastic surgeries
Pogoplasty is the surgery with which not only the correction of the size, but also the projection of the chin is achieved. The goal of orthoplasty is to harmonize the proportions of the face, with the end result of stimulating the patient’s self-confidence. In many cases, pogoplasty is combined with rhinoplasty, thus correcting the profile of the face (profiloplasty). In some cases it is also combined with fat removal from the groin.
The goal of orthoplasty: enlarging or shrinking the chin
The goal of pogoplasty is to correct the imperfections of the chin, but without any external intervention. The changes that need to be made are:
- Chin augmentation: In the case of a hypoplastic chin, the chin should be enlarged. For chin augmentation, the usual method is to place special silicone implants, of different sizes and appropriately shaped, depending on the problem. These implants are placed in front of the bone of the lower jaw. In addition to silicone, other materials such as Gore-Tex, SoftForm, Medpore or hydroxyapatite are used. These materials are well tolerated and do not cause reactions from the body. computer analysis. Through modern computer imaging, the patient can understand the image he will have after the surgery. The operation is performed under local anesthesia. The access incision for the placement of the implant is usually made in the mouth, and after all the muscles have been detached from the lower jaw to the anterior region, the implant is placed. In some cases the incision can be made under the chin, on the skin. Thus, the incisions can be internal or external. At the end of the operation, suturing is done at the incision point. The process is relatively short and takes about 30 to 40 minutes. There is usually no postoperative pain. In the first days there is a swelling in the area, which is absorbed after about 10 to 15 days. For the growth of the chin, in addition to implants, autologous materials can be used – from the body itself – such as bones, cartilage, but mainly fat, which we get from other parts of the face or body. Injectable materials can also be used, such as hyaluronic acid, and this is a very easy way to increase the chin. However, the injectable materials are absorbed by the body and the effect lasts about 1 to 1.5 years. But this is a method without surgery. Thus, in some cases it can be used as a first method and if the patient likes the result, he can then proceed to a more permanent method. Finally, in addition to the methods mentioned above, in some cases the lower jaw is promoted with maxillofacial surgery. surgery, and the bone is advanced to a different position, securing it with internal screws.
- Reduction of chin size: In cases of hyperplastic chin, chin reduction surgery should be performed in order to obtain the desired proportions and can be characterized as normoplastic. This is a more complicated operation because the surgeon must remove part of the protruding bone of the lower jaw, at the height of the chin. In practice, an osteotomy is performed, ie the removal of a part of the bone of the lower jaw. In some cases it may be necessary to reduce the length of both legs of the lower jaw bone in the middle of its length, at the height of the chewing gums. This operation is performed under general anesthesia and lasts 1.5 to 2 hours. The hospital stay is a few hours, but in some cases overnight may be needed. In the first days after the incident there is a slight numbness, a slight discomfort and a moderate pain, but it subsides with a simple painkiller. Postoperatively there is swelling, which lasts up to 3 weeks. Applying local pressure with ice packs helps a lot. After the operation, a special bandage is also placed for 3 to 4 days. The sutures are removed after 6 to 7 days. After the operation, hard food should be avoided, while the patient should rinse his mouth with antiseptic solution for 10 days. Returning to work takes place after one week, while the person can start exercising again after two weeks. The aesthetic results are obvious after the first month.
