What does “jaw shaving” mean in Korea?
“Jaw shaving” is a casual name for surgery that reduces the width or angle of the lower jaw bone. It is not a single operation. The papers cited here use the term “mandibular angle osteotomy,” and a 2026 review in JPRAS Open describes it as widely performed in East Asian patients who want a narrower lower face. Surgeons choose among several techniques, including a long curved cut, grinding or splitting the outer layer of bone, and adding chin surgery.
Is jaw shaving the same as V-line surgery?
Mostly, yes. V-line surgery is the broader name, and reducing the jaw angle is its core; plans often add chin or cheekbone work, which our guide to V-line surgery in Korea covers. A related question is whether jaw shaving is the same as double jaw surgery. It is not.
How is jaw shaving different from double jaw surgery?
They address different things. Jaw shaving reshapes the outline of the lower jaw bone. Double jaw surgery moves the upper and lower jaws into a new position and involves braces. A leaflet from University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust in the UK describes orthognathic surgery in general, the umbrella term for operations that correct the position of the jaws, as done from inside the mouth, with the brace staying on for about 6 months afterward.
| Jaw shaving (angle reduction) | Double jaw surgery | |
|---|---|---|
| What changes | The outline of the jaw bone | The position of the upper and lower jaws |
| Braces | Not described as part of the plan in the sources cited | Brace stays on for about 6 months after surgery (NHS leaflet on orthognathic surgery in general) |
| Hospital stay | 1 to 2 days (588-patient series that included angle surgery alone and angle surgery combined with chin or cheekbone surgery) | Likely 2 to 3 days (NHS leaflet on orthognathic surgery in general) |
| Numbness | 6.46% had sensory changes; 1.53% still at 1 year (same series, including patients who also had chin or cheekbone surgery) | Some numbness is certain immediately after the operation; it may last 6 weeks to 6 months, and sometimes it is permanent (NHS leaflet on orthognathic surgery in general) |
| Time away from work | Not reported in the series cited | About 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the type of operation (NHS leaflet on orthognathic surgery in general) |
The right-hand column draws on an NHS leaflet about orthognathic surgery in general, not on data for double jaw surgery alone, and recovery varies by type of operation and by patient. The left-hand figures come from a series that included jaw angle surgery alone and angle surgery combined with chin or cheekbone surgery, so they are not figures for angle surgery alone. These figures come from different sources and different groups of patients, so do not compare them head to head. Use them as questions to put to a surgeon.
What risks should you ask about?
Nerve injury is the main one. In a retrospective review of 588 patients treated by one surgeon at one clinic between 2007 and 2012, 6.46% had sensory deficits and 9 patients (1.53%) were still affected one year later. The series included jaw angle surgery alone as well as angle surgery combined with chin surgery (genioplasty) or cheekbone reduction, so these rates are not specific to angle surgery alone; the authors report that sensory disturbance of the chin and lower lip was greater in the group that also had chin surgery. Infection occurred in 3.23% within 2 weeks, and all operations were done under general anesthesia.
The 2026 review adds that, in its technical description, the cutting path keeps at least 3 to 5 mm from the nerve bundle inside the jaw; this is a reference point in the review, not an instruction for any one person's operation. It also cites a suggestion by Zhang and colleagues that grinding the outer layer may carry a lower risk of nerve injury than splitting it, while noting that the evidence is mostly retrospective case series and that direct comparison between techniques is difficult. It also says that for a broad chin, angle surgery alone is usually not enough, so ask exactly what your plan includes.
What should you ask before you book?
- Which technique is planned (long curved cut, grinding or splitting the outer layer, chin work), and why?
- How is the nerve inside the jaw located before surgery?
- Is my concern the outline of my jaw or the way my teeth meet? If it is the bite, should an orthodontist be involved?
- Who is the anesthesiologist, and who monitors me during surgery?
- How many check-ups do I need before I fly home, and who handles problems after I leave?
- What does the written estimate include?
How should a US traveler plan the trip?
The CDC advises medical tourists to talk with their primary care clinician well before travel, to agree on a plan for complications with both the clinician at home and the treating clinician abroad, and to request their overseas records in English. The CDC also notes that air travel and surgery each raise the risk of blood clots. The 7 to 10 day wait before flying that the CDC passes on from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons names laser and cosmetic procedures on the face, eyelids and nose; it gives no waiting times for specific jaw operations, so ask your surgeon in writing when you may fly.
How COMEDI helps
COMEDI shares information about partner hospitals, passes your photos and questions to the surgeon you choose, and arranges a consultation and follow-up visits around your dates. It does not diagnose you or recommend a procedure; that decision is between you and your surgeon. Read how the price is set and how to book to start.
V-line jaw surgery: what is used
| Devices, products and methods | |
|---|---|
| Mandibular angle ostectomy | The surgeon removes the corner of the jawbone below the ear to soften a square jaw. |
| Long curved ostectomy | A single curved cut runs from the back of the jaw towards the chin, staying below the nerve that runs inside the bone. |
| Outer cortex reduction | The outer layer of the jawbone is shaved or split away to reduce width when the face is viewed from the front. |
| T-shaped genioplasty | The chin bone is cut in a T shape, a middle piece is removed, and the remaining pieces are joined with small titanium plates to narrow the chin. |
| Intraoral or behind-the-ear approach | Most surgeons work through cuts inside the mouth, which leaves no visible scar; a short cut behind the ear is a reported alternative. |
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Approach | Jaw-angle bone is removed or thinned, usually through the mouth, and chin narrowing may be added in the same operation. The cut is planned to keep a safe distance from the nerve inside the jaw. |
| Anaesthesia | General anaesthesia. |
| Operating time | One published hospital series reported an average of about 75 minutes for jaw-angle reduction alone. Adding chin surgery takes longer, and times vary by clinic and case. |
| Stitches & dressings | Cuts inside the mouth are generally closed with dissolving stitches. A drain or a compression dressing is commonly used for the first day or two. |
| Known risks | Bleeding (rarely heavy), haematoma, infection, numbness of the lower lip or chin, uneven bone edges or asymmetry. In the series reviewed, most minor problems settled within about three weeks. |
Full details and sources: V-line jaw surgery
Facts to check before you book
| Registration | Clinics and agencies that work with international patients must be registered with Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare. Medical Korea lists 3,114 registered medical institutions and 1,927 registered agencies (as of March 2025), and registered institutions have had to carry medical malpractice liability insurance since 2016. Ask for the registration number before you pay a deposit. [1] |
| Official help line | The Medical Korea Information Center answers on +82-2-1577-7129, daily 09:00 to 18:00 Korea time, and has desks at Seoul Station (B2, Airport Railroad) and Incheon Airport Terminal 1. It gives information on clinics, takes complaints and dispute enquiries, and takes reports of illegal brokers. [2] |
| Entry (US passports) | Countries currently exempt from K-ETA, including the United States, stay exempt until 31 December 2026 (Korea time). You may still apply for a K-ETA: once it is approved, you do not have to fill in the arrival card, but the application fee is charged and is not refunded. Check the entry rules again before you fly. [3] |
| Tax refund | Korea's VAT refund for cosmetic procedures for foreign visitors (Restriction of Special Taxation Act, Article 107-3) applied only to procedures received at registered clinics on or before 31 December 2025, and the refund had to be claimed within three months of the procedure. Procedures received now are not covered, so do not plan your budget around a refund, and ask the clinic whether VAT is included in the written quote. [4] |
| If something goes wrong | The Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency accepts mediation applications from foreign patients. Patients living abroad apply by email or fax ([email protected]), and the counselling line is +82-2-1670-2545. Keep your records, receipts and consent forms. [5] |
Checked on 2026-10-07. Rules change, so confirm with the official source before you travel.