What can be done about a receding chin?
Dec 23, 2024
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Wang Lei
Introduction
Retrognathia (receding chin) may be caused by improper sleeping posture, prolonged head-down positions, trauma, enlarged adenoids, temporomandibular joint disorder syndrome, or other factors. Treatment options include hyaluronic acid fillers, orthognathic surgery, autologous fat transfer, medication, and other approaches, which should be conducted under a physician's guidance. It is also important to maintain healthy lifestyle habits and appropriately strengthen oral and facial muscle exercises.
Generally speaking, the term "chin" refers to the mandible. Retrusion of the chin may be caused by improper sleeping posture, prolonged head-down posture, trauma, adenoid hypertrophy, temporomandibular joint disorder syndrome, and other factors. Treatment options include hyaluronic acid injection, orthognathic surgery, autologous fat grafting, and medication therapy, under the guidance of a physician. It is recommended to visit a regular hospital and undergo related procedures under medical supervision to ensure effectiveness and safety. Detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Improper sleeping posture
Long-term lateral or prone sleeping may compress the mandible, affecting normal growth and development of the chin and leading to chin retrusion. It is recommended to adopt a supine sleeping position and choose a pillow with appropriate height and firmness, to keep the head, neck, and shoulders in a natural and comfortable position. Hyaluronic acid injection can also be used under medical guidance. This involves injecting an appropriate amount of hyaluronic acid into the chin area to increase its volume and protrusion, thus improving the appearance of the chin. The general reference price for hyaluronic acid injection is 2000-8000 RMB per session. Improvement is usually observed within 1-2 weeks, although adverse reactions such as allergy and pain may occur.
2. Prolonged head-down posture
Continuous head-down posture may cause excessive anterior flexion of the cervical spine, affecting chin development and causing the chin to retract backward. Maintaining correct sitting and standing posture in daily life and avoiding prolonged head-down positions are recommended. Orthognathic surgery can also be performed following medical advice. This involves precise osteotomy and repositioning of the mandible to improve the shape of the chin. The general reference price for orthognathic surgery is 30,000-100,000 RMB per session. Noticeable improvement is generally observed within 2-3 months, although complications such as bleeding and infection may occur.
3. Trauma
Accidental falls or violent impacts leading to mandibular fractures may affect the shape of the chin and cause chin retrusion. It is usually accompanied by symptoms such as pain, swelling, and deformity. Medications such as Sanqi tablets, Yunnan Baiyao capsules, and compound osteopeptide injection may be used under medical guidance. Autologous fat grafting may also be performed upon medical recommendation, extracting excess fat from other body areas, processing it specially, and injecting purified fat particles into the chin to make the chin appear more natural and fuller. The general reference price for autologous fat grafting is 3000-10,000 RMB per session. Noticeable improvement is usually observed within 2-4 weeks, although complications such as infection and bleeding may occur.
4. Adenoid hypertrophy
Adenoid hypertrophy is mainly caused by environmental irritation and inflammatory responses. Adenoid hypertrophy may lead to nasal airway obstruction, forcing the patient to breathe through the mouth for a long time, thus affecting normal development of the facial bones and causing chin retrusion. Symptoms such as nasal congestion and rhinorrhea may accompany this condition. Medications such as amoxicillin-clavulanate potassium granules, montelukast sodium chewable tablets, and pidotimod oral solution may be used under medical guidance.
5. Temporomandibular joint disorder syndrome
Temporomandibular joint disorder syndrome is usually associated with improper diet, malaligned teeth, malocclusion, and other factors. This syndrome may affect the normal movement and position of the mandible, resulting in the aforementioned symptoms. Pain and restricted mouth opening may also occur. Medications such as eperisone hydrochloride tablets, ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, and diclofenac potassium tablets may be used according to medical instructions.
Maintaining good living habits and appropriately strengthening oral and facial muscle exercises in daily life can help maintain overall health.
