Which Kind of Specialist is Better to Repair a Broken (Displaced) Nose, an ENT or a Plastic Surgeon?

Both of these specialties are trained to fix a broken nose. It is important that your surgeon whether ENT or Plastic Surgeon is comfortable fixing broken noses and has done many of them. Good luck and good healing.

Best rhinoplasty surgeon for nasal fracture is a very experienced rhinoplasty surgeon-either ENT, facial or general plastic surgeon. 

When a nose is injured, it's not only important to restore the function of the nose, it's important to restore the appearance and the aesthetics as well.

You should feel comfortable that your prospective surgeon is comfortable with both functional and aesthetic rhinoplasty.

There are many members of each group who are, and many who are not.  There are highly competent surgeons in each group.

Besides reviewing the credentials in advance of the appointment, you may want to ask for before-after pictures to review.  Most surgeons who pride themselves on their nasal work will have a number to review.

I may be somewhat biased, but I am a facial plastic surgeon, which means I originally trained as an ENT, then did a fellowship in Facial Plastic Surgery.    It's really the best of both worlds when it comes to the face, especially the nose.  That said, many general plastic surgeons are quite skilled in nose surgery.  You should find an ENT, facial plastic surgeon, or general plastic surgeon that does a large volume of nose cases.  Again, my bias might say that if your son has any septal problems, or other issues inside the nose, an ENT or Facial Plastic Surgeon might be more ready to deal with those types of issues. 
 

This is dependent on a couple of things:


The severity of the nasal fracture

How your son felt about the appearance of his nose prior to the accident


An ENT is a good choice if the nasal fracture is complicated and also involves sinus or turbinate repair. A plastic surgeon is a great choice if your son wishes to correct the aesthetic appearance of his nose in addition to correcting the fracture. In my practice (plastic surgery), I frequently see cases such as this and the best option is to operate along with an ENT. With both ENT & Plastic operating you are in the best of hands for this situation. Good luck!

Hi and thanks for your question

ENT or Plastics does not matter, both would be competent to fix a fractured nose. What matters is someone who has the expertise to fix your sons nose, as some ENT and some Plastic Surgeons may not do nose surgery. You should see someone in the next few days and not wait 10.

All the best

  It is important to find  a surgeon who has performed thousands  of nasal surgeries for your best results.  Chances are the internal portion of the nose is also fractured as well, and will require an ENT/facial plastic surgeon to address both the internal and external components of the nose. Look for a board-certified facial plastic surgeon with extensive experience in noses and in rhinoplasty

A nasal fracture should be addressed sooner than later. I would not wait a week to see a doctor.  It is best to be seen and establish a plan. Ideally reduction of the fracture should take place within one to two weeks. ENT or Plastic surgeon should be fine.

It would be ideal to have the best of both worlds, so seeking a facial plastic surgeon, who is trained in both ENT and facial plastic surgery would be best, particularly if there is a nasal breathing issue.  However, the most important thing is to find someone who is a board certified specialist who can help your son achieve the results he seeks, whether it be facial plastic, plastic, or ENT.  It will be important to see someone within the 7-10 day time period following the accident.

Whether you see a Facial Plastic Surgeon, ENT or Plastic Surgeon you will be well cared for as long as they are familiar with "closed reduction" and rhinoplasty procedures. These are commonly performed by all of the above specialities. You might want to call the office and ask how many of these procedures the ENT performs. It is important to followup during the first two weeks because the nose can be straightened, in many cases, without surgery prior to two weeks following the injury. I hope this information is helpful.Stephen Weber MD, FACS