Sculpturing the broad face to ‘golden proportions’

Abstract

The oval shaped face is generally accepted as having the most beautiful configuration and the ‘golden proportion’ (1:1.618) ideal. Such a configuration can be altered to a square or rectangular shape by an increase in width of the lower face. This broadened morphology can be caused by three anatomical elements: hypertrophy of the masseter muscles, hypertrophy and flaring of the mandibular angles, and hypertrophy or herniation of the buccal fat pads of Bichat. The first two anatomical structures can occasionally become enlarged through work hypertrophy related to malocclusion or dental disease, and the latter displaced through traumatic herniation. Each of these contributing anatomical anomalies can be reduced in size by a single intraoral operative procedure with minimal risk to achieve an aesthetically pleasing oval shaped configuration to the face. There are very few hazards to this procedure and the results are routinely satisfying to both the patient and the surgeon.