Global research trends and intellectual structure of genioplasty: A 45-year bibliometric analysis (1980-2025)

This study aims to analyze global research trends, influential authors and institutions, citation dynamics, and the intellectual structure within the field of genioplasty using bibliometric methods.

Studies on genioplasty published between 1980 and 2025 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Bibliometric analyses were conducted using R Studio and VOSviewer. Publication counts, citation trends, country productivity, author impact, journal distribution, co-citation networks, and keyword co-occurrence patterns were evaluated.

The number of publications related to genioplasty has shown a steady increase over the years, reaching its peak in 2022 (n=77). The total number of citations peaked in 2024, indicating sustained interest and continued relevance in the field. The United States produced the highest number of publications and citations (302 publications, 5448 citations). China (n=118) and South Korea (n=87) also ranked among the most productive countries, reflecting the strong academic output driven by the high cultural demand for facial contouring procedures in Asia. Author analyses revealed that Hu J. and Posnick J.C. were the most influential contributors, while co-citation analysis identified Trauner R. and Bell W.H. as foundational figures in the intellectual structure of the genioplasty literature. Keyword analysis showed that "genioplasty", "orthognathic surgery", "osteotomy", and "chin" were the most prominent terms, supporting the observation that genioplasty is frequently performed as a complementary procedure to orthognathic surgery.

Research on genioplasty has gained significant momentum over the past 45 years, resulting in a global research network predominantly led by the United States and Asian countries. The literature demonstrates that genioplasty remains a crucial component of aesthetic and functional facial surgery, with contemporary studies focusing on refining surgical techniques and improving long-term stability.