Rhinoplasty Through the Gums, is It Safe?

Question

I'm planning to do rhinoplasty and alarplasty. my worries is that a doctor may insert tip plasty through the gum, I little thought is it safe? tip plasty if it will not sag or change position? whether the technique is safe for good? what if I want to do braces, whether it will affect the position of the tip plasty? I do not know about how rhinoplasty techniques, what I want is a sense of security for the future.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

No advantage doing Rhinoplasty thru gums. Choose a surgeon who does natural noses you like and forget trying to figure out unusual approaches.

Stephen Weber MD, FACS · Answer

There are certain maneuvers that are performed through an incision under the upper lip but this relatively uncommon. Tip modifications are performed either through an external or an endonasal (inside the nostril) approach. I am not aware of any approach to the tip via the area under the upper lip. The exposure would be very poor and ensuring any sort of symmetry would be a real challenge through this approach. This approach can be helpful for removing soft tissue or muscle and also for placing pre-maxillary grafts, but not tip work, in my experience. I hope this information is helpful.

Frank P. Fechner, MD · Answer

There are two basic rhinoplasty approaches: the open and closed (endonasal) techniques. In addition, some patients benefit from alar base reduction to narrow the nostrils.

	Tip rhinoplasty through the gums sounds unusual. It is certainly a technique I am unfamiliar with. I would recommend to discuss the exact surgical plan with your rhinoplasty surgeon.

Pablo Prichard, MD · Answer

Dear Cheri,

	Thank you for your question.  Open rhinoplasty (incision along the columella) creates a near invisible scar that most people cannot find even if they are directly looking at it.  If this miniscule scar concerns you, a 'closed' rhinoplasty avoids this with only incisions inside the nose.  You may not have as accurate a placement of the tiplasty through this technique.  There is no reason to go throught the mouth/gums and this can cause problems when trying to anchor the base of the nose. 

	Best Wishes,

	Pablo Prichard, MD

Kimberly Lee, MD · Answer

Generally, it is unusual to go through the gums to place the tip graft. The mouth is full of bacteria and the tip graft needs to be placed accurately so that it doesn't move later. There are some other ways to do a tip plasty without making a visible incision; however, please consult with a board certified specialist who can assist you in achieving the results you seek.

Rhinoplasty Through the Gums, is It Safe?

Answers (8)