What is the Most Stable Nose Bridge Implant Material?

The best nose bridge implant material placed inside the bridge to augment the nasal bones is the patient’s own natural cartilage from the internal portion of the septum. This will give very long-lasting, stable structural support that feels natural.

Hi, this is a tough problem and every surgeon has his or her own opinion on what is best. Most of us prefer to use the patient's own cartilage if it is available. Other implants include silicone and Gortex which are both man-made and permanent. I personally only use these if I have no other choice and if the patient's skin is thick enough to reduce the risk of extrusion of the implant. I would recommend seeing a rhinoplasty surgeon with experience with revision rhinoplasty. Good luck,... more

I do not use man made material for nasal augmentation. I prefer the patient's own cartilage which will become incorporated into their surrounding tissue. Unfortunately, you are an example of the problems that can occur with alloplastic material.

Hi John, Since you are asking for the best man-made material to be used as a nasal implant, I will assume that you do not have any of your own nasal septal or ear cartilage available. I have used both Medpor (made by Porex, see web link below) and Gortex in the past in less than a handful of patients. They all have done very well without warping, infection, or the need for removal. The aesthetic results are very good, but not perfect. The other alternative is your own rib cartilage, but... more

There are many type of tissue substitutes used for lifting the nasal bridge such as solid silicone, medpor, as well others. From the surgeons standpoint it is nice to feel that there is something 'off the shelf' which has little potential for future troubles. Implants can cause thinning of the skin, stiffness, late infection, and become visible over time. It is for these reasons most rhinoplasty surgeons will use natural tissues from within the nose, ear, or elsewhere to provide the shape... more

John There are many options to augment a nasal bridge, each with its pros and cons. There is no perfect solution. 1. Cartilage: septal cartilage is ideal when sufficient cartilage is available. This is not always the case in revision cases. Ear cartilage tends to warp as well as resorb. 2. Rib cartilage works well but can warp and there is more donor site morbidity/downtime. 3. Alloplast implants i.e. medpore, gortex, silastic work well but have a higher risk of infection and potential... more

Hi John, As mentioned there are several "non-warping" implants on the market, they include gortex and silicone implants (medipore is also available but I do not recommend its use) as well as some others. Its also very important to make a precise pocket in the right plane for an implant to be stable. Its should also be sutured to the tissue underneath it so it doesn't move. So the choice of implant is only part of the story; the implant must be placed in the right tissue plane in... more

Medpor is possibly the most stable long term implant with least capacity for long term warping. However, if infected or if you desire removal, it can be quite difficult and cause other problems. Without a doubt the best implant is your own tissue. 

If bridge augmentation is all you want to achieve, a Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty using Injectable Fillers is likely your best option. I'm experienced in the proper use of Silikon-1000, and bridge augmentation is performed painlessly with topical anesthetic in my office. This may be helpful in camouflaging your "warped" implant, but I'd need to see your full-face photos to be sure. I've had excellent, natural results with ePTFE (formerly Gore-Tex, now from Surgiform), dorsal... more

I think that your own nasal or ear cartilage is the best implant materiel. This is always a difficult problem and there is no one answer, but I do not like alloplastic materials.

The choices for nasal dorsal (bridge) implants are many. First you need to decide if you want a foreign, yet compatible material. The best of these are Medpor, Gortex, and Silastic. Each surgeon has their own personal favorites and can discuss the pros and cons of each. Many of us also like to use the patent's own cartilage. Again, the choice is nasal septum, ear cartilage then rib cartilage. Septum is easiest but often not long enough, especially in revision cases. Ear is not my favorite... more

No man made implant is likely to last forever. As far as "the most stable nose bridge implant material" goes - the famous Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe who lost the bridge of his nose in a duel wore a very stable, but obvious nasal cover made of either gold or copper. While stability is desirable, I think you and I would agree that durability, conceal ability and incorporation by the body are MORE important. When Proplast was introduced to great fanfare it was touted as the best... more