Is a slight dent on the bridge of the nose always synonymous with nasal valve collapse?

It's defintely possible that it's due to a internal nasal valve collapse. However there are several other reasons for depressions and dents. It really depends where it is to determine how to fix it. It can be due to concave cartilaginous or bony structures, small irregularities in the soft tissue over the nose or natural variants of normal anatomy. 

Hi perry9508. The nasal bridge is made up of bone in the top 1/3 of your nose and cartilage in the middle 1/3 of the nose. A dent in the nasal bridge could be either a depression in the cartilage or the bone. There are two types of nasal valves: internal nasal valve and external nasal valve. The nasal valves control airflow from the environment into your nasal passage, and are dynamic structures. The internal nasal valve is deeper in your nose and is bordered by the cartilage of your septum, nasal sidewall and turbinate. A dent in the middle of your nasal bridge could lead to blockage of the internal nasal valve on that side. The external nasal valve is closer to your nostril and entry point to your nose, and is unaffected by depressions in the nasal bridge. In rhinoplasty, form accompanies function. Therefore, depressions can cause nasal airway and breathing issues. Seek the consultation of a facial plastic surgeon for evaluation. Good luck. Best, Dr H. 

Dents on the side of the nose are due to asymmetries in the bone or cartilage of the nasal dorsum. These can be fixed or dynamic. Technically, nasal valve collapse is a dynamic process. If my patients have narrowing that is static, I call it nasal valve narrowing. It is possible to have dents in on your nasal dorsum without having breathing problems. Terms like nasal valve collapse and nasal valve narrowing imply some aspect of obstruction with breathing. So, no, it is not always synonymous with nasal valve collapse. I hope that helps.