Nostril flaring, shortened nose after corrective jaw surgery, Can rhinoplasty restore my old nose?

Question

After corrective double jaw surgery, I’m unhappy with my nose changes. My nostrils have widened and are more visible then before. I also feel like my nose has shortened. When I smile my nose turns up and my nostrils are visible which make me look like I have a “piggy nose.” Before jaw surgery I had a small Asian nose. Can rhinoplasty restore my old nose or create more harmony to my face?

Tanveer Janjua, MD · Answer

I have seen this phenomenon in my Asian patients who undergo orthognathic surgery. The nostrils become wide. Alarplasty can help a lot and sometimes a tip plasty is needed as well.
appearance. It has other names as well like ‘Weir Excisions’ or ‘Nostril Reduction’. However, it is important to note that asymmetry of nostrils is common and cannot be corrected with alarplasty. Visit the alarplasty website to learn all about it.
Click on the video link below to see the details.
Regards
Dr. J

Donald B. Yoo, MD, FACS · Answer

One of the main support mechanisms to the nose is the connections to the nasal septum. During jaw surgery, the connection between the septum and cheekbone (maxillary crest) is often disrupted, and despite trying to re-establish this connection with sutures, the connection becomes much weaker than the naturally existing one. The good news is that it is possible to restore the structural integrity and shape of your old nose. Tissue from other parts of your body (such as rib cartilage) may be necessary to provide the requisite support.

Jeffrey Lisiecki, MD · Answer

Yes, changes to the shape of the nose are to be expected after double jaw surgery (or specifically any surgery where the upper jaw is moved), so it's very common to plan for or desire a rhinoplasty after double jaw surgery to bring you back closer to your original or desired nose shape.

Jacob Tower, MD · Answer

Hello, hope you are well. Alarplasty can help reduce the nostril width and flaring, and the shape of the nose can be changed with rhinoplasty to change the position of the tip, create more length, and reduce excessive nostril show. Without seeing your face with photos or in-person, it's impossible to comment on your case specifically, but I would encourage you to have an in-person consultation with a rhinoplasty surgeon to discuss further.
Best,Dr. Tower

Lane Smith, MD · Answer

It sounds like you could benefit from a rhinoplasty. Without seeing your current nose, and photos of what you’d like it to return to, it’s impossible for anyone to tell you if it’s achievable. I recommend seeking out a board certified plastic surgeon to help you. If you would like to be seen by my office, feel free to reach out for a consultation. Smith Plastic Surgery 702-838-2455

Sean Fisher, MD · Answer

after jaw surgery it is very common to observe changes to the nose, including an apparent widening of the nasal base. While it may not be possible to re-create the exact nose that you had prior to jaw surgery, increasing nasal projection, decreasing tip rotation and correcting alar retraction are common problems to address in rhinoplasty surgery. Depending on the size of your nose and native cartilage available, rib graft may be needed to provide enough structure and support to accomplish these things. A well trained rhinoplasty surgeon should be able to help correct these concerns. 
Sean Fisher Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon

Jennifer Goodrich, MD · Answer

Good morning. The changes you are describing are known side effects of having upper jaw surgery. While there can be no guarantees about giving you exactly the same nose you had, a rhinoplasty can add projection and length to address your areas of concern.

Nostril flaring, shortened nose after corrective jaw surgery, Can rhinoplasty restore my old nose?

Answers (7)

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