Cutting depressor septi muscle during open rhinoplasty.

Cutting such muscle does not affect at all to the lenght or position of the lips. If your nose is not dynamic when smiling I see no point in resecting the depressor septi.

There may not be an indication for this in your situation, but it is much easier to address this after an exam or viewing photos.

Hi there, thank you for your question. Depressor septi is a muscle that pulls the nasal tip down during smile. The muscle is typically divided to prevent the tip droop during rhinoplasty. This particular muscle starts in the bone above your top teeth and extends then to the septum of the nose. Sometimes while the surgeon is working on the nasolabial angle (the angle between the upper lip and nose), the muscle might be divided for access to allow other changes in the nose (like softening the nasolabial angle or  adding cartilage to support the nose).In regards to your question about how this affects the smile, cutting the depressor septal muscle decreases nasal tip droop during smile but should not affect your lips or the shape of your mouth and lips during smile. I wonder if this distinction is what your surgeon was intending to tell you.My recommendation is that you don't hesitate to contact your surgeon if you still have doubts about your upcoming surgery. I hope this helps! Good luck 

  Releasing of the depressor septi ligament is only performed when there is a dynamic tip that droops when smiling .  The depressor septi ligament can be released through   Either  closed or open rhinoplasty.   If you do not have a drooping tip with animation, the ligament does not need to be released.  For many examples of releasing the depressor septi ligament, please see that before and after smiling photos on our closed rhinoplasty Photo Gallery link below

The depressor septi muscle is cut during rhinoplasty surgery in a patient whose tip droops when smiling. The need for this procedure can be evaluated with an examination or review of nasal pictures.