If the nerve line is low, can’t you have jaw angle surgery? Is there any way to make the front view slimmer?

Hello. I’m Director Cho Hyun-woo of Stary Plastic Surgery.

Among those planning facial contouring surgery, many are concerned about nerve damage.

Today, I’ll explain whether contouring surgery is possible when the nerve line is low, and what kind of results can be expected.

For safer surgery, it is important to correctly identify the location of the nerve line before surgery and accurately determine the extent of bone removal.

This is because the position of the nerve line differs from person to person. If the nerve line is too low, the osteotomy area may be limited, so preoperative diagnosis and an individualized surgical plan are necessary.

Can the effect of jaw angle surgery be limited depending on the nerve line position?

In the X-ray image above, the red dotted line is the actual inferior alveolar nerve line.

Bone can be removed below the nerve line, and if excessive resection is performed too close to the nerve line, it may result in a protruding jawline or excessive sagging of the skin.

In jaw angle surgery, “excessive resection - nerve damage - skin sagging” are somewhat related and can affect one another.

Then, if the nerve line is too low and a large amount of bone cannot be removed,

what additional procedures are needed to achieve a front-view effect?

If the nerve line is too close to, or lower than, the intended resection line, combining cortical bone reduction, masseter reduction, or buccal fat removal can help achieve a certain level of effect even for those with a low nerve line.

Let me show you an actual patient case.

This is the patient’s preoperative X-ray image. First, it is important to identify the location of the nerve line.

As you can see in the image above, the jaw angle is significantly developed and the nerve line is located close by.

In this patient’s case, a long-curve resection was performed along with masseter reduction, which removes part of the muscle, and cortical osteotomy.

Here is the patient’s appearance after surgery.

3D cheekbone reduction, jaw angle reduction, chin reduction, masseter reduction

What do you think?

In the case of contouring surgery, it is a very delicate procedure with many areas that require attention from multiple angles.

Only when the surgical plan and process are carried out delicately and accurately can safe results with high satisfaction be expected without side effects.

3D cheekbone reduction, jaw angle reduction, cortical osteotomy, buccal fat removal

The next patient underwent contouring surgery together with buccal fat removal to enhance the front-view effect.

If the muscles covering the facial bones are severely developed, or if there is a lot of facial fat that makes the face look fuller and larger, planning surgery in combination with methods that reduce facial fat and muscle can lead to a more satisfying front-view effect and surgical result.

At this time, it is important to have an accurate understanding of the bones and soft tissue that determine the facial contour, right?

Everyone wants to see a front-view effect after contouring surgery.

Jaw angle surgery can also achieve a sufficient front-view effect if delicate cortical bone reduction and masseter reduction through an intraoral incision are performed together.

Of course, it is hard to say that cortical bone reduction is necessary for everyone, but in my experience, addressing this issue often leads to a slimmer result in many cases.

It is most important to receive the most suitable surgery for you through a thorough consultation with your surgeon.

Thank you.