Rhinoplasty: Q&A
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Will my Nose Job Permanently Affect my Smile?
I just had rhinoplasty a week ago and today my surgeon removed the bandage, splint and stitches. I just tried smiling and realized that I can't smile. My upper lip stretches out and it looks really strange. I'm really, really worried. Will I be able to smile normally again? Will my smile look the same?
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13 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
mt1254
in New York, NY
+4
Smile affected by nose job
Hi MT,
It sounds like the muscles of your upper lip were freed up from the connections to the tip of your nose. This is the most common reason for the upper lip to hang down a little more than usual over your upper teeth, and also affect your smile following rhinoplasty.
We often times perform this maneuver during a Rhinoplasty when elevating the tip. By detaching the muscles, the tip of the nose is not pulled downward during the initial recovery period.
Fortunately, the effect on your...
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+3
Try not to get overly worried at this point.
During a rhinoplasty procedure, structures can be altered/changed that could affect a smile, and sometimes this is desirable and planned. Having said that, I think that most likely you are still having some swelling in the area and should wait for the initial swelling to go down--don't get overly worried at this point. Finally, when I perform an external (open) rhinoplasty, I advise my patients to refrain from too much smiling the first few weeks. Hope this helps!
+2
Your smile will return after rhinoplasty
Mt,
It is quite common for the smile to be affected right after a Rhinoplasty.
There are muscles right beneath the tip of your nose that are sometimes affected by the surgery. In a few weeks, your smile will look more normal.
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+1
Is a Smile Affected By Rhinoplasty
After rhinoplasty, especially if there is septal work done, there can be some numbness and swelling in the upper central lip area which usually subsides in 6-8 weeks. This can temporarily effect the smile. It is not permanent even when one releases the depressor septi muscles for a short upper lip.
+1
It will probably be normal with time.
Hello,
As you are very early into your rhinoplasty, there will be a large about of swelling still present in the tip and nasal base for several weeks to come. Just like a sprained ankle doesn't move well when it is swollen, neither does a nose. As the swelling comes down the motion should normalize. I agree with Dr. Persky that release of muscles at the base of the nose/upper lip region can affect your smile. As long as the muscles were not resected and only...
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+1
Not permanently.
The smile will be very minimally affected for the first few weeks after the surgery because of the stiffness of the upper lip due to swelling from the rhinoplasty. This will subside within the first couple of weeks after the surgery and will not be a permanent problem.
+1
One week is a moment in the lifetime
At one week, your lip is swollen, your nose is swollen and your smile will feel unnatural, just as you have described. Relax and enjoy the good stuff to come!
+1
Keep smiling
MT,
One week out from your surgery is very early. There are many reasons why your smile may look different. I hope you asked your surgeon, as he/she may have performed something additional that would affect the smile directly. Things will change over the next weeks to months, so be patient. Good luck!
+1
Probably just swelling at this point
It would be extremely unlikely for a rhinoplasty to affect you smile in a permanent way. There is usually swelling, sometimes quite a bit, and it can temporarily change your smile, make you upper lip numb, etc. I would ask your surgeon about it, but most likely this will go away in several weeks.
+1
Your smile should return.
This is a question you should ask your surgeon - he/she knows what was done and if it will affect your smile, but in general, you are still very swolen and your facial muscles should return to normal as the swelling goes down. Remember, it takes a full year to see the final result with a rhinoplasty.
+1
It is too soon to tell
You just had surgery and likely have swelling. It really is too soon for you to get worried. Talk to you surgeon and express your concerns. However, you will likely see improvement over the next several days to weeks. Hang in there...
+1
Smiling after Rhinoplasty
After a Rhinoplasty, especially one week later, there is still alot of swelling. This will impact the sensitivity of the tip, the stiffness of the tip, and the upper lip. All these things usually get better with time. It can take a few weeks for the lip but may take months for the nose.
+1
Discuss with your doctor, but you should be fine
Your smile is more likely to affect your nose rather than the reverse! The upper lip may in fact pull on the nose during some movements, and cause the tip to plunge.
The fact that your upper lip doesn't move well indicates to me that swelling and stiffness as a result for swelling is the reason. Over time, the lip should return to normal. Do talk to your doctor about yor concerns.
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