Pan scan from when I got my wisdom teeth removed. Is my septum deviated? (Photo)

Hello and thank you for your question.

Although an exam in person is ideal, from your photograph alone it appears that you have a deviated septum -- the key issue is if this causes a functional deficit i.e. any difficulty with your nasal breathing. You mentioned that you "breathe very deeply." If you mean that you have nasal airway obstruction, you can likely benefit from a septoplasty where the deviated septum is revised, excised, and re-set as necessary; any further breathing difficulty can also be improved with spreader grafting -- health insurance can cover all this at minimal cost to you☝️

If you have any cosmetic concerns, a rhinoplasty can also be performed.

The next step for you is to pursue the right plastic surgeon for your septoplasty, with or without a rhinoplasty. In your consultation, be sure your surgeon addresses all your functional (and aesthetic) goals and concerns specifically, IN PERSON, and discusses the surgery details including the position and size of the incisions used (with actual photographs and not just digital animations), the risks and benefits of the procedure, recovery time, and post-operative course. I also think a key component of your consultation is to establish a good connection with your plastic surgeon. This is difficulty to do without seeing your surgeon in the office, in person. It’s the connection that allows you to clearly define your desired nose outcome goals, the first step of this whole process. If you don’t feel you have a good connection with your plastic surgeon after your consultation, he/she may not be the best surgeon for you.

For more information on septoplasty, please refer to my link below.

Good luck.

Mark K Markarian, MD, MSPH, FACS
Harvard-trained Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

While the scan that the dentist performs is not ideal to evaluate the septum in its entirety, it does look like you have a mild deviation of your septum. I would say it is probably much more common than most people think to have some degree of deviation. For me, the more important aspect of this is if you truly have issues with nasal obstruction. If this is the case, I would schedule with an ENT or plastic surgeon that performs alot of functional breathing surgery and determine if this is something you would benefit in or not.
Hope this helps!

Your septum appears to be deviated and you would benefit from a septoplasty to correct that.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Hello and thank you for your question. If you are having problems breathing, then you may be a candidate for a septoplasty. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon