Can a rhinoplasty cause nerve damage that permanently changes your smile?

Dear HappyEmojii, Thank you for your question. Patients who have temporary altered sensation of the upper lip, always returns in our office. If you consult with a Board Certified Operating Surgeon they can review the potential risks of the procedure with you. Best of luck. 

Hi Happy,I have been performing rhinoplasty for over 35 years.  I have never had a patient with permanent nerve damage to the upper lip.  Patients may have a temporary weakness of the the upper lip muscles and an inability to raise their lip when smiling.  This side effect usually resolves within a few days to a few weeks.  It is to be expected when the lip muscles are freed from the nose or the bone of the nasal floor is taken when correcting a deviated septum.  The most important aspect of your rhinoplasty is making sure that you choose your surgeon very carefully based on their skill, knowledge, experience, and natural artistic vision.  I highly recommend Ari Hyman, MD for your rhinoplasty.  Good luck and be well.Dr. P

Neither sensory or motor innervation to the upper lip should not be affected by a rhinoplasty, even one that was performed poorly. Lip elevation immediately after a rhinoplasty may be diminished due to swelling, but that always resolves.

Permanent nerve damage to the lips shouldn't occur with a rhinoplasty.  There is swelling early after surgery that can affect your smile.  Once the swelling goes down your smile should return to normal.

Hello and thank you for your question. Rhinoplasty can alter the smile, particularly if large and rigid cartilage grafts are used. There is typically no nerve injury. I would see
a board-certified plastic surgeon for a full evaluation and advice. 
Best
wishes and good luck,
Pejman
Aflaki, M.D. Johns Hopkins-trained double board-certified plastic surgeon

Tip rhinoplasty is not a single operation, but involves a variety of techniques incorporated selectively to achieve your desired aesthetic changes.  If columella strut grafts, centralizing nasal septum, nasal base (pyriform) implants, alar base narrowing, lateral crural struts, and certain other elements are part of your procedure, you may have a temporarily or permanently slightly altered smile, either actually or perceptually due to changed dimensional relationships.  If it's truly only the tip, smile not likely affected at all in actuality, although you may still have the illusion that your smile has changed... sometimes for the better.  If indicated, I include upper lip lift with rhinoplasty to preserve or enhance the smile.

Rhinoplasty dies sometimes change the smile but it’s not from nerve injury. I have noticed particularly that large tip grafts can make the tip stiff which can alter the smile slightly.  

Hi there, you can be assured that permanent damage to the nerves or muscles of the upper lip is not a risk from rhinoplasty. That said, it very common for there to be temporary swelling and reduced lifting of the upper lip when smiling along with numbness of your nasal tip. This usually takes about 4-6 weeks to resolve. 

A rhinoplasty should not affect the nerves which control the movement of your lips. Immediately after surgery to several months after, you may notice that your smile is different due to swelling but this will improve over the course of a year. Hope this helps!Johnson C. Lee, MDBoard-Certified Plastic Surgeon

 No, a rhinoplasty involves changing the structural components of the nose by sculpting bone and cartilage.  There is temporary swelling in the upper lip which restricts the smile after the procedure   for a few weeks.