Question:
I had chin augmentation surgery a little over a week ago. I know that I am still in the early phases of recovery but I am a bit nervous because my smile is now crooked. The left side of my lips does not curve up as much when I smile. Is this a warning sign that something is wrong, or is this normal (and hopefully temporary)?
Answer:
Although the chin augmentation procedure is a safe and rewarding procedure with very few side effects, there are a few potential complications that can occur with chin augmentation. The crooked smile that you have described is likely the result of transient weakness of the motor nerve that moves your lower lip. If it is lower lip weakness from nerve injury, this will likely recover fairly rapidly. It is also possible that the implant may be too large or sitting too high which has caused you to have a crooked smile. I would have your surgeon examine you for this potential issue that can occur in chin augmentation.
Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld