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Can Cutting the Depressor Septi Muscle Affect my Smile in the Long-term?

asked 1 year ago by New York8764 in New York
Latest answer by Michael R. Macdonald, MD
Question viewed 904 times
Tags: depressor septi muscle, muscle

I will be going through rhinoplasty surgery soon where, amongst other things, my depressor septi muscle will be cut to prevent my nasal tip from drooping when I smile. While I understand that this procedure is not very difficult, I am worried that my smile or, more specifically, my upper lip movement will be negatively affected by the procedure. From your experience, is this something to be concerned about or does one always regain full upper-lip movement after a while? Thank you very much.

13 answers to Can Cutting the Depressor Septi Muscle Affect my Smile in the Long-term?

Cutting the Depressor Septi Muscle

Cutting the depressor septi muscle at the base of yoiur nose will help prevent tip drooping with facial animation, ing ut will not change your smile. Immediately following surgery, your smile may be temporarily different due to lip swelling after the rhinolasty whether or not the muscle is cut.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Depressor septi muscle

I would not be concerned with any significant change to your smile. Cutting this muscle should be done right at the insertion to the feet of the tip cartilages and septum. The remainder of the muscle is left undisturbed and your mouth and upper lip will move normally afterwards. Best of luck

Richard W. Westreich, MD
Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgeon

Depressor Septi Muscle Release Will Not Affect One's Smile Once The Swelling Goes Away

One treatment option for getting rid of the tip of the nose being pulled down when one smiles is to release the depressor septi muscle. This muscle is not one of the smile muscles and has no role to play in how one's mouth or lips moves. However, because the dissection to get to the muscle goes through a portion of the upper lip (either underneath the lip through the frenulum or from inside the nose), there will be some swelling of the lip for several weeks afterward. This swelling... more

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

Your Smile Will Be Fine

Cutting the depressor septi muscle will in no way effect your smile in the long run. You will, however, notice that your smile is not normal during the initial healing phase, especially in the first few weeks. This has nothing to do with the depressor septi, but rather has to do with the rhinoplasy procedure in general. Overall, a rhinoplasty will not effect your smile in the long run. Andrew C. Campbell, M.D. Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon

Andrew Campbell, MD
Milwaukee Facial Plastic Surgeon

Cutting the depressor septi muscle will cause swelling and loss of sensation

If you cut the depressor septi muscle to prevent the nasal tip from drooping or moving when you smile, you will certainly have some swelling in this area and loss of sensation post-operatively. Because of the swelling in the area, this also will result in a loss of movement of the upper lip. This will likely only be a relatively short-term side effect of this part of your nasal surgery, with expected return of function and sensation certainly by several months after the surgery is... more

Michael R. Macdonald, MD
Bay Area Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drmmacdonald.com

Depressor septi muscle

Cutting the depressor septi muscle is sometimes done for patients with terribly plunging tips. It should not impact you overall smile.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Your Smile and Rhinoplasty techniques

Dear New York; Treating this depressor muscle is just one method used to prevent downward pulling on your nose when you smile. Remember your nose and upper lip are closely related, so changing one will affect the other (even slightly) Your upper lip movement may be changed during the healing period after rhinoplasty, but this is short-term resolves. Best Wishes to you

Travis T. Tollefson, MD, MPH
Sacramento Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drtravistollefson.com

Depresser Septi Muscle

As multiple posts have confirmed, this is a very safe procedure without long-term effect on the upper lip.

Joseph Campanelli, MD
Minneapolis Facial Plastic Surgeon

Can Cutting the Depressor Septi Muscle Affect my Smile in the Long-term

This should not affect your smile in the long term as long as it is done properly. If your surgeon recommends this to prevent your tip from drooping when you smile, you likely will get a good results. good luck!

Amy T. Bandy, DO
Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

Depressor Septi Muscle

Cutting the Depressor Septi usually does not affect the upper lip movement or smile. Any changes will usually resolve over a period of weeks.

Daniel Reichner, MD
Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

Effects of cutting the depressor septi muscle in rhinoplasty

The cardinal rule in any proceedure(s) is to match the right proceedure to the right patient and their objectives. To give a focused answer I would need to see full face and lateral views with your face at rest and in full smile. In my experience in over 30 yrs,in the right patient, it can be very benificial to the overall result.

Barry H. Dolich, MD
Bronx Plastic Surgeon

Can Cutting the Depressor Septi Muscle Affect my Smile in the Long-term?

Should be a non issue. But best to fully understand this with your chosen surgeon. Go discuss this in detail. From MIAMI Dr. Darryl j. Blinski

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Depressor septi muscle cutting

I have personally not had patients with long term issues from this but I also know that many surgeons don't do this if they get enough tip support with columellar strut grafts.