How Long Before Smile Returns to Normal After Rhinoplasty?

Hi Perky,
If you are happy with the results of your rhinoplasty, your smile should return very soon. Your "normal" smile may take a bit longer.
Often times during septo-rhinoplasty the muscle fibers between the base of the nose and the upper lip are separated to allow the tip of the nose to heal without being pulled downward.
This results in an upper lip that does not elevate properly, covering your gums and upper teeth when you smile. These muscle fibers usually grow back together within a few weeks, and your smile should return to normal at that time.
Be well and I hope that your smile returns to normal very soon.
Dr. P

Loss of animation of the upper lip following rhinoplasty surgery is usually always secondary to swelling.  In some cases, detachment of the tip muscles from the distal nasal septum may also contribute to this problem.
            In the majority of cases, function returns within a week following surgery.  In cases where the muscle attachments are divided, it may take as long as four to six weeks.

            It’s important to be patient and maintain good communication with your surgeon.  Your surgeon should be able to reassure you and ultimately make this a good experience.  

Your smile can be affected
by swelling or bruising of the lips which can be common after a rhinoplasty.
After the swelling and bruising is gone, your smile will return to normal.

In the initial few months after a cosmetic rhinoplasty many changes occur with regards to swelling, healing, and possible numbness. As these initial concerns become less bothersome, and lessen one begins to see a return to normalcy overall.  In the majority of the time, the smile also normalizes to how it was before the procedure.I hope this helps, and best wishes on a successful result.Sergio Pasquale Maggi, MD, FACSAustin Plastic Surgery Center

It is very common for rhinoplasty patients to report (in the first several weeks after surgery) that their upper lip feels stiff and that it is difficult for them to smile. Fortunately, this resolves by itself in the first several weeks after surgery as the swelling subsides. Be patient, your smile should return to normal.

This is extremely common and there are a variety of reasons why this occurs which range from swelling, decreased sensation, wounds, etc. In most instances this resolves nearly completely. The time to resolution depends on the extent of surgery and can last from 3 weeks to 3 months