Orthognathic, TMJ, Chin Flashcards
A 34-year-old woman comes to the office because she would like to improve the appearance of her face. She recently completed orthodontic therapy with lingual braces. When she smiles, no upper incisal show is noted. Occlusion is Angle class I. Which of the following is the most appropriate management?
A ) Cosmetic dental laminates
B ) Horizontal excision of the upper lip
C ) Mandibular osteotomy and advancement of the mandible with a genioplasty
D ) Maxillary osteotomy with vertical lengthening of the maxilla
E ) Vertical shortening of the upper lip using a scar hidden under the nostril
The correct response is Option D.
This case describes an adult with vertical maxillary deficiency resulting in inadequate upper incisal show. This is corrected with a maxillary osteotomy and vertical lengthening while maintaining the occlusive relationship. Excision of the upper lip is not the best solution of the patient described with vertical maxillary deficiency. A mandibular advancement should not be recommended as cephalometric evaluation is noted to be normal. Shortening the upper lip is not recommended for vertical maxillary deficiency.
A 24-year-old woman is referred to the office by her orthodontist for evaluation of facial disharmony. The following angles are obtained on cephalometric analysis: SNA 70 (normal = 81.2) SNB 77 (normal = 77.3) SN-pogonion 87 (normal = 80) Which of the following procedures is most effective to achieve facial symmetry in this patient?
A) Le Fort I advancement and advancement genioplasty
B) Le Fort I advancement and setback genioplasty
C) Sagittal split mandibular advancement
D) Sagittal split mandibular setback
E) Vertical ramus osteotomy and setback
Correct answer is B
The cephalogram is a standardized radiograph used for analysis of facial disharmony and asymmetry. Labeled landmarks help establish the relationship of the maxilla, mandible, and skull base to other facial structures. The sella (S) point marks the center of the hypophyseal fossa. The nasion (N) is the junction of the nasal and frontal bones at the most posterior point of the curve of the nose. The A point marks the innermost curvature from the maxillary anterior nasal spine to the alveolar process. The angle created by these points (SNA) establishes the maxillary position in relation to the skull base. The B point is located at the innermost curvature from the chin to the alveolar process of the mandible. The SNB angle similarly establishes the mandibular relationship to the skull base.
The prominence of the chin is often an important consideration in orthognathic surgery. The pogonion (Pg) is the most anterior chin point. The SNPg angle is representative of the degree of chin prominence relative to the SNB (mandible position).
Normal angle values are given in the text. This patient has a relatively retrusive maxilla and a normally positioned mandible. This would represent a class III relation. The pogonion is anteriorly displaced in relation to both the mandible and the maxilla.
Therefore, to establish better facial relationships, the maxilla should be advanced at the Le Fort I level and the chin setback via a genioplasty. The mandible does not need to be moved.
A 12-year-old girl is scheduled to undergo surgically assisted maxillary expansion for correction of transverse maxillary deficiency. During this subtotal Le Fort I procedure, completion of each of the following osteotomies is appropriate EXCEPT
(A) lateral nasal walls bilaterally
(B) anterior and lateral antral walls bilaterally
(C) pterygoid plates bilaterally
(D) palatal midline
(E) nasal septum
The correct response is Option A.
Complete osteotomy of the thin lateral nasal walls is unnecessary. This structure offers little resistance to transverse expansion. Additionally, the lateral nasal walls help maintain the spatial relationship of the mobilized maxilla.
Completion osteotomies of the anterior antral walls, the lateral antral walls, and the pterygoid plates bilaterally as well as the midpalatal suture and the nasal septum are necessary for unhindered symmetric expansion of the maxillary halves.
In patients with vertical maxillary excess undergoing Le Fort osteotomy with maxillary impaction, which of the following findings is most likely postoperatively?
(A) Increased mentalis strain
(B) Increased upper incisal show
(C) More obtuse nasolabial angle
(D) Retrogenia
(E) Widened alar base
The correct response is Option E.
Patients with vertical maxillary excess, or long face syndrome, have a narrow alar base, an obtuse nasolabial angle, and an anterior open bite. Mentalis muscle strain and labial incompetence are increased, and there is excess gingival show and exposure of the upper incisors.
Appropriate management is Le Fort I osteotomy with maxillary impaction; osseous genioplasty is also performed in some patients. These procedures will correct many of the findings associated with this condition, including decreasing the mentalis muscle strain and incisal show and creating a more acute nasolabial angle. The alar base will be widened. Le Fort I osteotomy also rotates the mandible forward and upward, resolving the retrogenia associated with long face syndrome. Postoperative lateral cephalograms will show forward autorotation of the mandible with counterclockwise rotation.
A 16-year-old boy is scheduled to undergo maxillary advancement for correction of a 10-mm negative overjet of the maxillary incisors. Which of the following additional findings is associated with the greatest risk for the development of velopharyngeal incompetence?
(A) Class III malocclusion secondary to mandibular prognathism
(B) Maxillary-mandibular disharmony secondary to craniofacial microsomia
(C) Midface hypoplasia secondary to Crouzon syndrome
(D) Midface hypoplasia secondary to repaired cleft palate
The correct response is Option D.
Patients with midface hypoplasia secondary to repaired cleft palate are at increased risk for development of velopharyngeal incompetence, especially following maxillary (Le Fort I) advancement of greater than 10 mm. In a study of 70 patients who underwent Le Fort I advancement, the incidence of velopharyngeal incompetence was increased in those patients who had previously undergone cleft palate repair. This was particularly true in patients who, on preoperative examination, exhibited evidence of nasal air emission, nasal resonance, borderline velopharyngeal incompetence, or a combination of these findings.
In patients with Angle class III malocclusion secondary to mandibular prognathism, maxillary advancement is not the treatment of choice; instead, the skeletal anomaly is more appropriately addressed by performing mandibular setback. This procedure should not increase the patient’s risk for development of velopharyngeal incompetence.
Patients undergoing maxillary advancement for management of other conditions, such as craniofacial microsomia or Crouzon syndrome, are at much lower risk for development of velopharyngeal incompetence than those patients with a repaired cleft palate.
A 29-year-old woman comes to the office for evaluation of orthognathic profile and class I occlusion. Physical examination shows isolated retrogenia and moderate vertical mandibular excess. Which of the following types of genioplasty is most appropriate?
(A) Advancement with horizontal osteotomy only
(B) Advancement with horizontal osteotomy and downgrafting
(C) Advancement with inferiorly angled osteotomy
(D) Alloplastic augmentation, extraoral approach
(E) Alloplastic augmentation, intraoral approach
The correct response is Option C.
The most appropriate genial treatment option is advancement with the osteotomy angled inferiorly. The angle of the osteotomy has an impact on the vertical dimension of the mandible as the segment is advanced forward. An osteotomy angled inferiorly in relation to the occlusal plane will provide a progressive decrease in the vertical dimension as the osteotomy segment is advanced. A 2- to 4-mm reduction in chin height can be achieved with this technique. When a larger height reduction (in excess of 5 mm) is indicated, a horizontal wafer of bone is removed above the horizontal sliding osteotomy. A horizontal osteotomy, relatively parallel to the occlusal plane, would provide a more pure anteroposterior movement.
Downgrafting the osteotomy site, with an interpositional bone graft or alloplastic material, would be indicated to increase the vertical dimension in a patient with vertical mandibular deficiency.
Alloplastic augmentation alone, whether placed through an intraoral or extraoral approach, is best indicated for a unidimensional change, such as a pure sagittal deficiency.
Which of the following percentages best represents the incidence of paresthesia of the lower lip immediately after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy?
(A) 10%
(B) 30%
(C) 50%
(D) 70%
(E) 90%
The correct response is Option E.
Paresthesia of the lower lip is the most common immediate postoperative finding following a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy. It is generally bilateral and is due to neurapraxia resulting from stretch and compression of the inferior alveolar nerve as the mandible is mobilized and fixed into its new position. Studies have shown that the incidence of this finding ranges from 85% to 97% in the immediate postoperative period. In one study, 55% of the patients reported some degree of paresthesia at one month, which was further reduced to 12.5% at one year. The older the patient, the more protracted the sensory deficit.
Which of the following is the most important clinical measurement when planning vertical maxillary changes?
A ) Gingival exposure with smiling
B ) Upper incisor exposure with the lips in repose
C ) Upper incisor exposure with smiling
D ) Vermilion exposure with the lips in repose
The correct response is Option B.
Upper incisor exposure with the lips relaxed is the key measurement when planning surgical vertical changes of the maxilla, aiming for a range of 3 to 5 mm. Males typically show less than females. Aging also results in a progressive decrease in upper incisor display. Normally, 100% of maxillary incisor is displayed on smile, but this relationship can be quite variable. Using relationships during smiling to determine surgical movements may result in unfavorable lip-tooth aesthetics at rest.
A 34-year-old woman undergoes a down-fracture of the maxilla during Le Fort I osteotomy. Profuse bleeding is noted in the posterior aspect of the lateral nasal wall. Injury to which of the following arteries is most likely?
(A) Anterior ethmoidal
(B) Descending palatine
(C) Greater palatine
(D) Infraorbital
(E) Nasopalatine
The correct response is Option B.
The descending palatine artery is a branch of the third portion of the internal maxillary artery. It descends vertically within the perpendicular portion of the palatine bone. Injury to this vessel is not uncommon while performing a Le Fort I osteotomy. Division of this artery has been shown not to expose the maxilla to necrosis.
A 22-year-old woman comes to the office for evaluation of an abnormal bite. On physical examination, she has an anterior open bite, and the upper teeth are not exposed with the lips in repose. Cephalometric analysis shows a nasion (N) to anterior nasal spine (ANS) distance of 45 mm (N 52–57 mm), an ANS to menton (Me) distance of 63 mm (N 63–68 mm), and an N-ANS:ANS-Me ratio of 1:1.4 (N 1:1.2). All other measurements are within the reference ranges. Which of the following is the most appropriate surgical procedure for correction of this patient’s deformity?
A) Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy with downward repositioning
B) Le Fort II osteotomy with maxillary advancement
C) Naso-orbito-maxillary osteotomy
D) Perinasal osteotomy
E) Sagittal split osteotomy with mandibular setback
The correct response is Option A.
Le Fort I osteotomy with downward repositioning effectively lengthens the maxilla in cases of isolated vertical maxillary hypoplasia. The maxilla is repositioned vertically in its entirety or rotated downward, depending on whether or not the hypoplasia extends to the posterior maxilla. The goal is to close the anterior open bite and to restore facial height, allowing 3 to 4 mm of upper incisor to show with lips in repose.
Perinasal osteotomy is a procedure designed to lengthen the skeletal framework of the nose. It lengthens and increases nasal projection. It is therefore a suitable procedure for patients with nasomaxillary hypoplasia and a foreshortened nose, but with normal dental occlusion and facial height. It does not correct maxillary height or change the dental relationships.
Naso-orbito-maxillary osteotomy is a step beyond perinasal osteotomy, in that it corrects both the foreshortened and retruded nasal framework and maxillary hypoplasia horizontally and vertically. The entire osteotomized segment includes the central section of the maxilla from nasion to teeth, and from one internal orbital rim to the other. It can therefore close an anterior open bite when vertical maxillary insufficiency is a component of the deformity in addition to a retruded nasomaxillary complex. However, it would most likely shift the occlusion into class II if there were not also a horizontal deficiency of the maxilla. Therefore, it is not an appropriate procedure for the patient in the vignette because it would alter the naso-orbital region unnecessarily, and possibly cause a new deformity or abnormal relationship in this otherwise isolated vertical maxillary deficiency. The indications for a or a naso-orbito-maxillary osteotomy would overlap those for a Le Fort II osteotomy.
Le Fort II osteotomy is indicated for nasomaxillary hypoplasia with a recessed maxilla and class III malocclusion. This is frequently noted in patients with a history of cleft lip and palate. The same discussion used for the naso-orbito-maxillary osteotomy would apply here as well.
Sagittal split osteotomy is a procedure that modifies the mandible, permitting setback or advancement of the mandibular dentition when the cause of the malocclusion is mandibular hypoplasia or overdevelopment. It has no effect on the maxilla.
A 45-year-old woman with myofascial pain dysfunction has had pain in the preauricular region for the past six months. Plain radiographs of the temporomandibular joint are most likely to show which of the following?
(A) Anterior displacement of the disk
(B) Erosion of the anterior condyle
(C) Narrowing of the joint space
(D) Osteophytes of the condylar head
(E) No abnormalities
The correct response is Option E.
In myofascial pain dysfunction, radiographs show no abnormalities because the disorder does not usually produce discernible anatomic abnormalities in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Myofascial pain dysfunction is associated with preauricular pain, occasional joint clicking, restricted jaw opening, and tenderness of the masticatory muscles. Its causes are multifactorial and include bruxism, anxiety, and occlusal abnormalities. Anterior displacement of the disk of the TMJ cannot be identified on plain radiographs because the disk is composed of fibrous tissue, which can be seen only on radiographs with contrast.
Which of the following findings is most common in patients with vertical maxillary excess?
A) Counterclockwise rotation of the mandible
B) Excessive height in the upper half of the face
C) Mentalis strain
D) Posterior open bite
E) Retrusive midface
The correct response is Option C.
Vertical maxillary excess (VME), or long face syndrome, occurs when there is excessive (imbalanced) anterior facial height in the lower half of the face. The midface is relatively protrusive. Excessive eruption of the posterior dentition in the maxilla can cause clockwise rotation of the mandible. There is lip incompetence, excessive gingival show, and an effort to close the lips can result in mentalis strain. It is associated with an anterior open bite.
Which of the following orthognathic movements is the most unstable and prone to relapse?
(A) Mandibular advancement
(B) Mandibular narrowing
(C) Maxillary advancement
(D) Maxillary widening
(E) Sliding genioplasty
The correct response is Option D.
Transverse widening of the maxilla is the most unstable orthognathic movement. With this procedure, a patient may lose as much as 50% of the movement at one year after surgery. Maxillary downgrafts and mandibular setbacks are also relatively unstable procedures. Mandibular advancement, mandibular narrowing, maxillary advancement, and sliding genioplasty are all considered stable movements.
A 40-year-old man is being evaluated because of lower dental show and occasional drooling since undergoing bilateral sagittal split mandibular osteotomy and genioplasty four years ago. Lip sensation is normal. A clinical photograph is shown. Which of the following is the most likely cause of these findings?
A ) Excessive downward repositioning of the genioplasty segment
B ) Failure to reapproximate the mentalis muscle to the mandible
C ) Injury to the buccal branch of the facial nerve
D ) Injury to the inferior alveolar nerve
E ) Injury to the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve

The correct response is Option B.
The patient shown has ptosis of the lower lip, caused by failure to reapproximate the mentalis muscle to the mandible during genioplasty. Ptosis of the soft tissues of the chin, including the lip, and excessive lower dental show are the result. If the depth of the labial sulcus is sufficiently reduced, drooling may occur.
Provided the mentalis muscle is repaired, and no nerve injury occurs, downward repositioning of the genioplasty segment should not produce excessive lower dental show.
The mentalis muscle is innervated by the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve, which could sustain a neurapraxic injury during either bilateral sagittal split osteotomy or genioplasty. However, that injury would be unlikely to persist for four years.
The buccal branch of the facial nerve innervates the buccinator and orbicularis oris muscles. Loss of orbicularis oris function could lead to lip ptosis, but injury to the buccal branch of the facial nerve would be very unlikely in the situation described.
Injury to the inferior alveolar nerve can occur with either bilateral sagittal split osteotomy or genioplasty. The resulting paresthesia or anesthesia of the lower lip may lead to drooling but would not cause dysfunction in the mentalis muscle or lip ptosis.
A 17-year-old girl with Marfan syndrome comes to the office for an orthognathic evaluation. Intraoral examination shows a bilateral posterior lingual crossbite. Which of the following is the most appropriate management?
A) Le Fort I osteotomy with palatal expansion
B) Le Fort I osteotomy with palatal narrowing
C) Mandibular osteotomy with narrowing
D) Mandibular osteotomy with widening
Correct answer A.
Patients with Marfan syndrome typically have a high-arched and narrow palate resulting in a transversely constricted maxilla. Le Fort I osteotomy with palatal expansion is an appropriate surgical option for correcting the skeletal facial disharmony in the patient described.
A 34-year-old woman undergoes a down-fracture of the maxilla during Le Fort I osteotomy. Profuse bleeding is noted in the posterior aspect of the lateral nasal wall. Injury to which of the following arteries is most likely?
(A) Anterior ethmoidal
(B) Descending palatine
(C) Greater palatine
(D) Infraorbital
(E) Nasopalatine
The correct response is Option B.
The descending palatine artery is a branch of the third portion of the internal maxillary artery. It descends vertically within the perpendicular portion of the palatine bone. Injury to this vessel is not uncommon while performing a Le Fort I osteotomy. Division of this artery has been shown not to expose the maxilla to necrosis.
A 13-year-old boy who underwent repair of bilateral cleft lip at 3 months of age and repair of cleft palate at 9 months of age is being evaluated after alveolar bone grafting. He has undergone orthodontic treatment, but a 12-mm negative overjet remains. A photograph is shown. Which of the following operative procedures is most appropriate?
(A) Le Fort I osteotomy with distraction
(B) Le Fort I osteotomy with immediate advancement
(C) Le Fort III osteotomy with distraction
(D) Le Fort II osteotomy with immediate advancement
The correct response is Option A.
This patient has severe maxillary retrusion associated with bilateral cleft lip and palate. He has undergone bone grafting and orthodontic treatment, and his deformity is at the Le Fort I level, involving the tooth-bearing maxilla. Distraction osteogenesis at the Le Fort I level has become the mainstay for managing severe maxillary retrusion associated with cleft lip and palate. Before the advent of distraction, traditional Le Fort I advancement would give inadequate advancement due to palatal scarring, and many surgeons simultaneously performed mandibular setbacks to obtain class I occlusion at the expense of facial aesthetics. With distraction, significant advancements can be accomplished. If the osteotomy is performed at the Le Fort III level, vertical elongation of the orbit and resultant enophthalmos occur.
Which of the following is the ideal amount of tooth show with the lips in repose?
A ) 2 mm of lower incisor show
B ) 4 mm of lower incisor show
C ) 2 mm of upper incisor show
D ) 4 mm of upper incisor show
E ) No tooth show
The correct response is Option C.
The ideal amount of tooth show with the lips in repose is 2 mm of the maxillary incisors. In women, up to 4 mm may be acceptable. However, more show of the upper dentition results in a gummy appearance. One possible etiology for a gummy appearance is vertical excess of the maxilla. Orthognathic surgery with maxillary impaction is the typical treatment for this deformity.
Over time, elongation of the upper lip decreases the amount of show of the upper dentition. Gravitational pull on the lower lip may result in the increased display of the mandibular dentition with advancing age. Techniques such as lip augmentation and lip lift are designed to correct these changes of aging.
Interorbital distance is most accurately determined by measuring the distance between which of the following structures?
(A) Anterior lacrimal crests
(B) Inferior orbital fissures on a plain anteroposterior cephalogram
(C) Lateral aspects of the medial canthi on standard anteroposterior photograph
(D) Pupils on a standard anteroposterior photograph
(E) Supraorbitale (SOr) €” the most anterior point of the intersection of the orbital roof and its lateral contour
The correct response is Option A.
By convention, the interorbital distance is determined as the shortest distance between the medial walls of the orbit. This usually falls at the dacryon, which refers to the craniometric point at the junction of the anterior border of the lacrimal bone with the frontal bone. The normal distance is approximately 25 mm in women and 28 mm in men.
In a patient undergoing orthognathic surgery with preoperative class III malocclusion, which of the following anatomic relationships must be retained in order to optimize postoperative occlusion?
A) Centric relation and centric occlusion
B) Condylar seating
C) Maximal intercuspation
D) 2 mm of overbite
E) 2 mm of overbite and 2 mm of overjet
The correct response is Option A.
Centric occlusion is incorrect because centric occlusion (maximal intercuspation) without centric relation (condylar seating within the glenoid fossa) will not lead to reliable postoperative occlusion.
Maxillary occlusion plane angle is incorrect because the maxillary plane angle affects open bite tendency and is not a reliable measure of occlusion.
Gonial angle is incorrect because the gonial angle along with the mandible occlusal plane are better predictors of prognathism and open bite tendency and are not a reliable measure of occlusion.
Centric relation is incorrect because centric relation without centric occlusion will not lead to reliable postoperative occlusion.
Centric occlusion and centric relation is the correct response because maximal intercuspation (centric occlusion) coupled with proper mandible condylar position within the glenoid fossa (centric relation) is most likely to result in optimal occlusion after orthognathic surgery.
A 4-year-old girl is undergoing mandibular reconstruction involving the temporomandibular joint. Use of which of the following types of bone graft is most likely to result in overgrowth on the reconstructed side?
A ) Calvaria
B ) Fibula
C ) Iliac crest
D ) Radius
E ) Rib
The correct response is Option E.
A variety of bone sources may be used in reconstructing the deficient mandible in pediatric patients. The majority of reconstructions are done for congenital anomalies involving the mandible, such as hemifacial microsomia and Treacher Collins syndrome. However, bone grafting may also be needed following tumor resection and traumatic loss.
Cortical bone may be harvested from the iliac crest, calvaria, rib, radius, and fibula. Typically, when rib bone is used to reconstruct the mandible, including the temporomandibular joint, a cartilaginous cap is left on the end of the rib when it is harvested. This allows for growth of the rib as the child grows, but it can also result in overgrowth. This overgrowth can result in further asymmetry and malocclusions.
An 18-year-old man is evaluated because of an overbite. Cephalometric analysis shows an SNA angle of 83 degrees (N 82 ± 3) and an SNB angle of 74 degrees (N 80 ± 3). Which of the following is the most likely underlying cause of this condition?
A ) Prognathic maxilla
B ) Retrognathic maxilla
C ) Prognathic mandible
D ) Retrognathic mandible
The correct response is Option D.
An €œoverbite € (Angle class II malocclusion) may be caused by several different etiologies: a prognathic maxilla, a retrognathic mandible, or both; even a prognathic mandible with a more severely prognathic maxilla, or a retrognathic maxilla with a more severely retrognathic mandible, is possible. The patient described is exhibiting isolated mandibular deficiency, or retrognathia, which is characterized by a decreased sella-nasion-point B (SNB) angle combined with a normal sella-nasion-point A (SNA) angle. The SNA and SNB angles determine the position of the maxilla and mandible relative to the cranial base. The SNA angle measures the position of point A (subspinale) relative to the anterior cranial base with the normal value being 82 degrees plus or minus 3 degrees. The SNA angle is increased in maxillary prognathism and decreased in maxillary retrognathism. The SNB angle measures the position of point B (supramentale) relative to the anterior cranial base with the normal value being 80 degrees plus or minus 3 degrees. The SNB angle is increased in mandibular prognathism and decreased in maxillary retrognathism.
A 24-year-old woman comes to the office for consultation regarding her appearance when smiling. Physical examination shows the mesiobuccal cusp of the first maxillary molar lying distal to the buccal groove of the first mandibular molar. Which of the following is the most appropriate Angle classification?
(A) I
(B) IIA
(C) IIB
(D) III
The correct response is Option D.
Occlusion as described by the Angle classification uses the relationship of the permanent first molars of the maxilla and mandible as its reference point. Patients with class I occlusion (normal) have the mesiobuccal cusp of the maxillary first molar lying in the buccal groove of the mandibular first molar. Patients with class II occlusion have the mesiobuccal cusp of the maxillary first molar located mesial to the buccal groove of the mandibular first molar. Class III occlusion, as illustrated in this case, is described as having the mesiobuccal cusp of the maxillary first molar positioned distal to the buccal groove of the mandibular first molar.
A 30-year-old woman comes to the office to discuss surgical augmentation of the chin. Which of the following outcomes is most likely in this patient if a porous polyethylene prosthesis is used instead of a solid silicone rubber prosthesis?
A) Increased incidence of bone resorption
B) Increased incidence of infection
C) Increased ingrowth of tissue
D) Increased likelihood of malposition
E) Reduced resorption of the implant
The correct response is Option C.
Porous polyethylene implants have enough rigidity to resist soft-tissue deforming forces but enough flexibility to facilitate placement. The pore size (diameter of 100 to 250 ?m) of porous polyethylene used in facial augmentation procedures is sufficient to allow fibrous tissue ingrowth and relative incorporation of the prostheses. This avoids the capsule formation intrinsic to smooth-surface implants which is the result of the host’s foreign body response. This superficial tissue integration makes porous polyethylene facial prostheses less likely to migrate after implantation than solid silicone prostheses, but it also makes their explantation more difficult compared with solid silicone prostheses.
Silicone rubber has a smooth surface and is relatively flexible, making implant placement and removal beneath the soft-tissue envelope easier.
Neither porous polyethylene nor silicone prostheses are resorbed after implantation. Two recent studies reported on a total of 53 patients undergoing chin augmentation with silicone implants. The authors found 55% of those patients experienced underlying bone resorption during the 20 month follow-up period based on lateral radiographs.








