Is Surgery the Only Answer for a Square Jaw? Comparing 5 Correction Methods

Not everyone with an angular or wide-looking jaw has the same underlying cause. The reasons the lower jaw appears large can be broadly divided into three categories. When the bone is more developed, square jaw surgery may be considered; when the muscle is more developed, Botox injections may be considered; and when there is excess fat, PPC injections may be considered. In other words, depending on the cause, correction can be attempted through non-surgical methods rather than surgery.

Square jaw types can also be divided into cases where the jaw looks angular from the side, cases where it looks wide from the front, and cases that combine both. This article compares and summarizes the five correction methods offered at Kim Jongseo Plastic Surgery (Apgujeong, Seoul). For more background, please see About the Doctor.

How Do the 5 Square Jaw Correction Methods Differ?

1) Intraoral Incision Method — used when reducing the square jaw extensively. 2) Minimal Incision Method — a simpler method in which a small incision is made inside the mouth to shave down the bone, used when the angle is not severe and a change in the frontal view is desired. Its effect may be somewhat limited when the angle from the side is significant. 3) Botox Injection — performed in a short procedure time, with effects that tend to last about a year. 4) PPC Injection — an injection that reduces fat in the jaw area, which may cause swelling for about a week. 5) Radiofrequency Ablation — this can be painful and its effects are not permanent, so Kim Jongseo Plastic Surgery tends to recommend Botox injections instead. Results and duration of effect for all methods vary by individual.

How Is Square Jaw Surgery Performed?

Square jaw surgery involves inserting small surgical instruments into the mouth to reduce the angular part of the jaw and refine the jawline into a slimmer shape. When reducing the mandible, two methods are used together depending on the facial shape: mandibular angle reduction, which cuts bone from the front, and cortical osteotomy (outer cortex shaving), which cuts bone from the side. Reducing only the angular section can cause a new angle to appear elsewhere, so it is important to shape the jaw into a smooth line so that no new angle forms. In addition, to avoid overcorrection, a slight convex curve should be maintained from below the ear to the chin tip in order to achieve a natural appearance.

Kim Jongseo Plastic Surgery aims to reduce bleeding through the hydrodissection surgical technique, and performs surgery with the goal of preserving the periosteum, which senses pain, in order to reduce bruising. Returning to work or going out can be expected after about 5 days, though recovery speed varies by individual. For reference, Kim Jongseo Plastic Surgery was designated an Outstanding Facial Contouring Hospital (2009) by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

What Are V-Line Square Jaw Surgery and T-Osteotomy?

V-line square jaw surgery reduces the jawbone in a longer line that extends to the front of the chin. Because the chin area is where a sensory nerve passes through, the nerve may be pulled after surgery, temporarily reducing sensation in the lower lip and causing water to dribble while drinking; sensation gradually recovers afterward. If the jaw is very large or the front of the jaw is especially developed, standard square jaw surgery alone may leave some dissatisfaction, so V-line surgery is considered together with it during consultation.

T-osteotomy (chin surgery) is a method that brings the chin bone together toward the center, followed by the addition of standard square jaw surgery. Because it can bring the chin tip forward, it is useful when correcting a recessed chin (retrogenia) at the same time.

What About Anesthesia and Hospitalization?

Even when surgery is performed under general anesthesia, hospitalization is not required. Simple square jaw surgery can be performed under sedation without general anesthesia, but general anesthesia is recommended when the jaw is very large. Kim Jongseo Plastic Surgery has introduced the Misonix BoneScalpel, an ultrasonic facial contouring device, aiming to reduce damage to soft tissue, nerves, and blood vessels during the bone-cutting process.

Does the Muscle Need to Be Reduced Separately?

Once the bone is cut, the masseter muscle tends to shrink on its own, so Kim Jongseo Plastic Surgery does not separately remove muscle during square jaw surgery. This is because muscle resection carries some risk of nerve and blood vessel damage and can be a cause of post-surgical pain. The muscle can be seen to naturally reduce in size about 3 months after surgery, and Botox injections are used together in cases of significant muscle hypertrophy.

Can Botox Injections Alone Slim the Jawline?

When only the masseter muscle is enlarged, Botox injections can be expected to reduce muscle thickness by about one-third, which tends to produce a noticeable change in the frontal view. The muscle tends to gradually shrink over about 4 months, then begin to enlarge again around the 5-month mark, with effects generally lasting about a year. Repeated injections (2 to 3 times) have been reported to make the effect last longer, though the effect and its duration vary by individual.

Consultation Information

Kim Jongseo Plastic Surgery (Apgujeong, Seoul) · 2F Apgujeong Building, 842 Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul · 02-3416-0070 (after hours 070-4027-0070) · Book a Consultation

This article is provided for informational purposes only. The effects and recovery period of any surgery or procedure may vary by individual. As side effects may occur with any medical procedure, please consult thoroughly with a specialist beforehand.

Detailed Procedure Materials

The material below is procedure information from our previous website (surgery.co.kr). Before-and-after photo results may vary by individual, and all medical procedures carry the possibility of side effects.