Questions regarding lips post surgery

[summer]

http://imgur.com/a/APn65tm

What causes this "lip incompetence" where the lower lip is not supporting the upper lip

A surgeon said something along the lines that a genio will redrape the mentalis muscles and thereby fix my lip incompetence

2. I've heard that your upper lip could become thinner, how much truth does this hold?

[kavan]

Mechanical efficiency vs. Mechanical inefficiency. Lip incompetence= MENTALIS STRAIN

Simple mechanics of the mentalis muscle being oriented too far diagonally backwards away from the lower lip thereby, causing strain each time it's used in an attempt to move the lower lip upwards vertically to close the lips. Having to stretch the mentalis muscle over a long diagonal path to close the lips is mechanically inefficient. More efficient mechanics are only possible when the mentalis muscle is set closer to a more vertically up and down path and hence a SHORTER ONE to travel which is done by moving the chin bone (along with the mentalis muscle draping it) more 'forward'.

This explanation is consistent with the suggestion of a genioplasty to advance the chin 'forward' more as to reduce the strain the mentalis muscle has when used to close the lips. Sliding genios, advance 'forward' (horizontally) and also upward (vertically), thereby shortening the path, reducing the strain of the mentalis muscle to close the lips.


 The upper lip is NOT controlled by the mentalis muscle. No truth nor scientific relationship to be found as to upper lip getting thinner via a genioplasty.

[summer]

Thanks for the detailed explanation

As for the second question, I was referring to post jaw surgery not specifically post genioplasty. I've heard a few cases of that happening. I'd really like to avoid that since my upper lip is quite thin as it is now.

[kavan]

Well, there are a number of lip change combinations possible, some favorable, some not. But that is a multi variable function of 'if this--then that- where there are many; 'if this' start points, displacement directions and amounts of displacements that could combine to make many 'then thats' as to final contour.

An advancement will bring the lip more into the FOREGROUND (closer to the eye of viewer) so it would not look any thinner. But if advancement starts really pushing on the lip too much, the soft tissue could push back and look thinner.