Is It Necessary to Break the Nose to Fix Small Bump?

One of the most common reasons that patients seek rhinoplasty consultations is to learn about dorsal hump reduction. A dorsal hump is comprised of bone and cartilage. To remove the hump, the rhinoplasty surgeon files down the bone and trims the cartilage to the appropriate height to give the profile the desired contour. For an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon, this is a very straightforward procedure. For large humps it is necessary to surgically break the nasal bones (called osteotomies) to close a gap on the top of the bridge (an "open roof" deformity) that results when the hump is removed. However, this is something that needs to be evaluated on a case by case basis.
It is possible to correct one isolated problem -- such a a dorsal hump -- without having to change or disrupt other parts of the nose. The goal of any rhinoplasty is to produce a nose that looks natural and functions well.
To get a better understanding of what your nose would look like after surgery, your prospective rhinoplasty surgeon should be able to show you before and after computer simulations. Many rhinoplasty surgeons use computer imaging, and recently 3D rhinoplasty imaging has become available. This allows patients to preview how their nose might look after surgery from any angle.

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Removal of a small nasal hump may or may not need infracturing (breaking) of the nasal bones. It depends on the width and thickness of your bones, and the size of the hump. Sometimes I tell my patients that I will not know for sure until I actually remove the bump. Breaking the bones does cause more swelling and bruising, but the result is usually worth it when it is required. Good luck!