Silicone implants are the most traditional materials for chin augmentation but are becoming increasingly diversified in models with time. It also comes in a single-piece oval and U shape. Surgery mainly corrects chin retraction to anteroinferiorly extend the jaw angle from the silhouette, but it is unable to elongate the proportion of the frontal face, which is suitable for patients who have mild retraction and a sufficiently long chin for regional correction or mild adjustment. Besides, for some patients with inadequate chin bone or skin conditions, silicone implants are likely to present a depression at the interface of the implants and bones at both sides of the chin; thus, results may not be quite natural. At present, limited by patient conditions and the implant size and models, the application scope of silicone implants is not as extensive and flexible as that of Medpor and Sili-Tex implants; thus, they are gradually being replaced.

Similar to other chin implants, the surgery is conducted by creating an incision at the intraoral lower gingiva, but the incision for silicone implants is the smallest (approximately less than 1.5 cm), and there is no need for screw fixation after implantation as long as the implant is stitched to the periosteum and naturally attached to the bone. Therefore, surgery is simple and requires a short recovery time, and emplaced silicone implants become fully stable within approximately 1 month.

Surgical conditions

Duration

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Type of anesthesia: IV sedation + local anesthesia
Type of incision: A 1.5-cm incision at the intraoral lower gingiva
Recovery: 3–5 days
Removal of stitches: No

General instructions

No food and water on the day of surgery

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Avoid smoking, alcohol, and irritating foods for 1 month postoperatively, and avoid strenuous or excessive activities.
Avoid singing or laughing and other overt mouth opening behaviors for 2 months postoperatively.
Avoid heavy collision to or squeezing of the face for 3 months postoperatively.
Avoid cupping the chin and other prosthesis compression behaviors after the operation to prevent dislocation.

Ideal candidates

Patients with mild to moderate chin retraction
Those with a round and hypertrophic chin bone that lacks lines or angles
Those with a normal width or length of chin that only needs a slight adjustment of the angle proportion
Those who only hope to replace the results of hyaluronic acid or Radiesse injection

Possible complications

Prosthesis reaction
Infection
Prosthesis dislocation

Surgical advantages

Surgery results in a small wound and has a rapid recovery.
The implant becomes naturally attached and does not need fixation with bone screws.
The implant can be easily removed for modification or restoration.
The surgical expense is low.

Surgical drawbacks

The silicone implant is prone to incur risks of infection or tissue reaction
Due to low biocompatibility, it may show dislocation or deformation due to impacts in the future.
The implant comes in limited sizes and models and is less customizable.
It can only change the profile angle of the chin but cannot elongate the face.
It induces a difference or depression at the connection between the implant and skeleton at both sides of the chin.