Contouring of a square jaw on a short face by narrowing and sliding genioplasty combined with mandibular outer cortex ostectomy in orientals.

[BACKGROUND] A square face is considered unattractive in Orientals; thus, it has become a frequently encountered reason for patients undergoing face contouring surgery. While reviewing the unsatisfactory cases of mandibular reduction, the authors discovered that some failed cases were related to a square jaw on a short face. The conventional procedures fix only the posterior region of the mandible, resulting in increased prominence of the stunted or square chin and short face. Thus, the authors applied a narrowing and sliding genioplasty procedure combined with a mandibular outer cortex ostectomy technique to reshape a wide, weak chin, and a square jaw on a short lower facial contour into a slender and attractive oval face.

[METHODS] From July of 2005 to October of 2009, there were a total of 57 patients in this study who underwent a narrowing and sliding genioplasty combined with a mandibular outer cortex ostectomy procedure to correct a square jaw on a short face.

[RESULTS] The postoperative appearance of all 57 cases showed that the lower face had narrowed and had become softer, slender, and oval, with a slick mental region.

[CONCLUSION] Narrowing and sliding genioplasty combined with a mandibular outer cortex ostectomy procedure could efficiently adjust the shape and position of the chin to obtain a good proportion of the lower face and change a square, short face to a slender, oval one in a single operation in accordance with fashionable aesthetics in Orientals.