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Chin Augmentation | Genioplasty

The chin defines the profile. When it is out of proportion — too recessed, too prominent, or asymmetrical — it affects the balance of the entire face.

Chin augmentation surgery repositions the chin to achieve a more harmonious facial profile. Mr Matthew Potter performs this using a bone-based technique — moving the existing chin bone rather than placing an implant. This avoids the risks associated with implants, leaves no external scars, and produces a result that is stable, natural, and permanent.

The procedure can increase or decrease chin projection, adjust vertical height, and correct asymmetry — either individually or in combination, guided by the specific proportions of your face.
Book a Consultation

Our Technique

Chin augmentation can be performed using implants placed over the existing bone, or by surgically repositioning the chin bone itself — a procedure known as a sliding genioplasty or osteotomy.

Implants carry specific risks: they can shift position, become infected, or in some cases erode the underlying bone over time. For these reasons, Mr Potter’s preferred approach is to work with the patient’s own anatomy. By making precise cuts within the gum behind the lower lip, the chin bone is mobilised and repositioned to the desired profile — then fixed in its new position. The teeth are unaffected. There are no external incisions and no visible scarring.

This approach allows Mr Potter to adjust projection, height, and symmetry in a single procedure, with a result that is both more natural and more durable than an implant.

Bone-Based Chin Augmentation — Why Mr Potter Does Not Use Implants

The ideal position of the chin is determined by its relationship to the upper jaw, the nose, and the forehead — not by a fixed standard, but by the proportions that are right for your face.

Before surgery, Mr Potter takes detailed photographs and measurements of your face and its bony profile. An X-ray of both the upper and lower jaw is also required to establish the position of the tooth roots relative to the planned bone cuts. Where relevant, Mr Potter may refer patients to an orthodontic colleague for review prior to proceeding.

Planning Your Procedure

Your Recovery

What to Expect

Swelling along the jaw line is expected following this procedure and is typically at its worst at two days, settling significantly within a week. The swelling is internal — there are no external wounds to manage beyond keeping the mouth clean.

All sutures used are dissolvable. They lose their strength at around two weeks and disperse naturally within the mouth over the following weeks — full dissolution can take up to a month.

Recovery Timeline

Days 1 – Shower and wash the area; soft diet in hospital

Days 1–2 – Swelling peaks along the jaw line

1 week – Wound check at original hospital; swelling settling

2 weeks – Review with Mr Potter to assess alignment and healing; most patients return to office work; dissolvable sutures losing strength

Up to 1 month – Sutures fully dissolved

Ongoing – Regular reviews with Mr Potter until fully settled

Do's & Don'ts

  • Shower and wash the area daily
  • Sleep with three pillows, facing upward where possible, to minimise swelling
  • Take oral pain relief for the first week as needed
  • Maintain a soft diet that puts minimal strain on the bone until pain and swelling have fully subsided
  • Avoid coughing, straining and bending in the first week
  • Do not drive until you can safely perform an emergency manoeuvre

The Procedure

What Happens on the Day

You will be admitted on the day of your procedure and seen by both the anaesthetist and Mr Potter before going to theatre. The procedure is performed under general anaesthetic and takes approximately two to three hours.

Most patients stay one night in hospital and go home the following morning.
Mr Potter will discuss all risks with you in detail during your consultations. Risks associated with chin augmentation include:
  • Swelling — expected; typically peaks at two days and settles within a week
  • Pain — managed with oral pain relief for the first week in most cases
  • Changes in sensation — some temporary numbness around the chin and lower lip is common following bone surgery in this area; typically resolves within a few weeks; occasionally takes longer
  • Bone infection — exceptionally rare; the mouth heals well and infection of the repositioned bone is uncommon but noted as part of the full consent picture
  • Facial palsy — exceptionally rare; caused by traction on the nerves supplying the muscles of the lower lip; associated swelling and inflammation typically resolves within a few weeks
  • Infection — uncommon; the mouth heals well and the area is kept clean to minimise this risk
  • Asymmetry or alignment — Mr Potter reviews you at one week for wound check and at two weeks specifically to assess alignment and healing
  • Over / underdone — Mr Potter errs toward under-correction, which is more straightforwardly addressed than over-correction
  • Further procedures — where fine adjustment is needed, Mr Potter and his team are happy to facilitate further treatment
  • DVT / pulmonary embolus — as with any procedure under general anaesthetic; specialist stockings are provided during your stay

What Patients Say

I write to thank you for the care of me over the past week. The immense skill and the very kind human attention to detail in terms of explanation and reassurance.
Thank you for your care over these months – I could not of had a better doctor, a man who I have complete trust in.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is genioplasty?

Genioplasty is a surgical procedure that repositions the chin bone to alter its projection, height, or symmetry. Unlike implant-based chin augmentation, it works with the patient’s own anatomy — moving the existing bone rather than adding a foreign material. It leaves no external scars and produces a stable, permanent result.

Chin implants carry specific long-term risks — they can shift, become infected, or erode the underlying bone over time. By repositioning the chin bone itself, Mr Potter achieves a more natural and durable result without introducing a foreign material. The approach also allows greater flexibility in adjusting projection, height and symmetry simultaneously.

No. Chin augmentation via genioplasty does not affect the teeth or the bite. The bone cuts are made below the tooth roots, which Mr Potter confirms via X-ray during the planning process.

No. All incisions are made inside the mouth, behind the lower lip. There are no external skin incisions and no visible scarring.

Most patients return to office-based work within two weeks. Swelling peaks at around two days and settles significantly within a week. A softer diet is advisable until jaw strength and comfort have fully returned. Mr Potter reviews you at one week for a wound check and at two weeks to assess alignment and healing.

Yes — genioplasty is sometimes performed alongside rhinoplasty or facelift surgery where overall facial balance is being addressed. Mr Potter will discuss whether a combined approach is appropriate for you during consultation.

Mr Potter performs chin augmentation at the Manor Hospital in Oxford, Ridgeway Hospital in Swindon, Stratum Clinic in Wootton Oxfordshire, ProDerm in Cheltenham, and Interface Business Park in Royal Wootton Bassett.

Book a Consultation

Contact us if you have any health concerns or are looking to get a consultation. You can contact Matthew Potter by using the form below or contact him through one of the available telephone numbers or email addresses listed on this page.

Private Secretary & All Correspondence

T. 07917 965717

Swindon - Ridgeway Hospital

T. 01793 814848

Cheltenham - ProDerm, Festival House

T. 0800 0489230

Oxfordshire - Stratum Clinic,
Wootton Business Park

T. 01865 320790

Wiltshire - Interface Business Park, Royal Wootton Bassett

T: 0808 2803560

Oxford - The Manor Hospital

T. 01865 307777

Contact Lissie on 07917 965717 or use the form below.