How Is The Nose Bridge Narrowed?

Question

Is the sides of the nose made of cartilage or is it all bone? I've heard that either the nose is broken or shaved down to achieve a more defined look.

Thomas A. Lamperti, MD · Answer

The upper portion of the bridge is bone and the lower 2/3rds are made of cartilage. A common problem is that the upper bridge is too wide. This can be narrowed using controlled bone fractures (osteotomies). You can read more about bridge narrowing surgery at my web reference link below.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

The bridge is composed of cartilage and bone.  The anatomy will dictate what components need to be reduced and whether the bones need to be broken.Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds  
of rhinoplasties and rhinoplasty revisions each year.  Then look at the 
 plastic surgeon's website before and after photo galleries to get a   
sense of who can deliver the results. 	Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Richard Chaffoo, MD, FACS, FICS · Answer

Hello! Thanks for your question. The bridge of the nose is made of both
bone and cartilage. A good plastic surgeon will thoroughly evaluate your nose
prior to surgery and develop a detailed surgical plan that may include either
fracturing and re-setting the nose or shaving the bone and cartilage to narrow
refine its appearance. The technique depends on how much of a change you desire
and the judgment of the surgeon about what is safe, as well as aesthetically
pleasing. Consult a nose surgery specialist for more details.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

The sidewalls of the nose are composed both bone and cartilage. Lateral and medial osteotomies of the nasal bones must be performed to narrow the bridgeline. The cartilage is more compliant and will follow the nasal bones, when the nasal bones are narrowed with osteotomies.  Digital computer imaging performed in the office setting would be helpful to understand what can be accomplished with your nose upon your facial features. Please include a full set of facial photographs to make a determination about how best to proceed .For many examples of how we have narrowed a wide bridgeline with a closed rhinoplasty approach, please see the link and the video below

Robert Singer, MD · Answer

The upper portion of the nose is bone and the lower portion is comprised of cartilage. Since every patient's anatomy is different, the particular surgical techniques required to produce a natural appearing cosmetic result will vary from patient to patient. In most patients with a wide bridge, a controlled incision is made in the bones and they are then moved closer to the midline which narrows the bridge. The cartilage moves with the bone. If the cartilage is excessive, it can be sculpted to achieve a more elegant refined appearance.Keep in mind that following the advice from a surgeon on this or any other website who proposes to tell you what to do without examining you, physically feeling the tissue, assessing your desired outcome, taking a full medical history, and discussing the pros and cons of each operative procedure would not be in your best interest. I would suggest you find a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and ideally a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) or facial plastic surgeon that you trust and are comfortable with. You should discuss your concerns with that surgeon in person.Robert Singer, MD  FACSLa Jolla, California

Kristina Tansavatdi, MD · Answer

The sides of your nose are made of cartilage and bone. The top 1/3 to 1/2 of the nose is usually bone while the middle 1/3 is cartilage. The cartilage is attached to the undersurface of your nasal bones. Narrowing the bridge of the nose requires breaking of the nasal bones and bringing them inwards. This effectively brings along the cartilages with it.

Stephen Weber MD, FACS · Answer

The profile of the nose is refined by removing cartilage and bone in most cases. The nasal bridge is composed of bone in the upper 1/3 and cartilage, for the most part, in the lower 2/3. Narrowing is achieved by making cuts in the bone of the upper 1/3 of the nose which allows moving the bones toward the midline creating a more narrow (or straighter) nasal bridge.

Michel Siegel, MD · Answer

Each nose has a different amount of bone and cartilage. Depending on each person different procedures are performed to narrow that persona nose.Usually a combination of cartilage and bone is removed from the bridge. The bony sides are narrowed by bringing the bones closer together.Patients with flat bridges will require dorsal augmentation to build up the bridge and achieve a narrower appearance.

Gregory Park, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

The side walls of the nose are composed of bone at the upper portion of the nose and cartilage at the middle part of the nose. When a patient wants their nose to appear more narrow, in most cases the nasal bones are broken or fractured inward in a controlled manner during surgery. If you require additional details, I highly recommend an in person consultation with a plastic surgeon in your local area. Thank you for sharing your question. Best wishes.

How Is The Nose Bridge Narrowed?

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