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Anatomy of the Nose

Your nose sits front and center of your face and is responsible for a number of daily functions that you usually take for granted. From smelling the flowers, to filling your lungs, your nose plays a vital role in your day-to-day existence.
Unfortunately, unless there is a nasal blockage that prevents easy breathing, you probably ignore your nose for the most part. Your nose may hold your sunglasses upright or warn you of spoiled food, but is otherwise neglected or unnoticed. Unless, of course, your nose has the misfortune of sporting an unattractive hump, bump or other characteristic that draws your ire. In those cases, your nose may be prompting you to consider a nose job.
To better understand how and why rhinoplasty by Dr. Miller in NYC works, you should have a basic understanding of how your nose is built.

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The Anatomy Of The Nose

Your nose is comprised of two obvious areas – the outside and inside. Nuances within each of these areas can cause your nose to possess undesirable characteristics such as humps, bumps, hooks or nasal blockages.

Outside Of The Nose

The outside is made up of a hard bony “roof” that consists of your nasal and cheek bones; both hard and soft cartilage that forms your bridge and shapes your middle and lower nose; and very soft cartilage that forms your nostrils and nose tip.
The entire exterior structure is covered in skin, which adheres closely to the bone and cartilage and forms the shape of your nose.

Nasal Bones

Though the upper third of the nose is made of bone, only the very peak of the bone consists of the separate paired nasal bones. Those bones sit on top of an extension of the upper jaw bone, called the Maxilla, that extend forward away from the face.

Upper Lateral Cartilages

The upper lateral cartilages are wing shaped cartilages extending horizontally across the middle third of the nose and then vertically. They are attached to the bone structure described above.

Lower Lateral Cartilages

The lower lateral cartilages are paired rams horn shaped cartilages that are floating in a skin and soft tissue envelope. The lower lateral cartilages constitute the lower third of the nose, namely the tip of the nose. It is these cartilages that are altered, narrowed, re-positioned, shortened or elongated to modify the nasal tip.

Inside Of The Nose

The main internal structure of your nose is your septum, the structure that separates your two nostrils. The septum is made up of bone and cartilage that is covered by a mucous membrane. While you can’t see your septum, you can feel it by running your finger down your bridge to the middle third of your nose, or by placing your thumb and forefinger inside your nostrils and feel for the bridge of skin that separates your finger tips.
Also inside your nose you will find turbinates – small bony, mucosa-lined outgrowths on the sides of each nostril. Turbinates are the filtering device that the nose uses to clean inhaled air before it reaches the lungs.

How Does My Nose Structure Affect A Rhinoplasty Procedure by Dr. Miller?

When you are considering a nose job, there is undoubtedly some aspect of your existing nose that you don’t like. Perhaps it is aesthetic or maybe it is a structural problem that keeps you from breathing easily.
Regardless of why you seek out rhinoplasty, your nose’s unique structure and characteristics will impact all aspects of your nose job procedure. During your consultation with Dr. Miller in his New York City office, he will thoroughly examine your nose and surrounding bone structure and identify your goals and objectives. He will advise you as to the proper technique and strategies he will use to give you the nose of your dreams. To learn more about the anatomy of your nose, visit rochester.edu or contact our office.
Next, learn about balloon sinuplasty.

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Rhinoplasty (Nose Jobs)

Dr. Miller and his staff of NYC's best aesthetic specialists offer the NatraNose® process, which is a comprehensive range of minimally-invasive and advanced techniques to achieve natural-looking rhinoplasty results, improve nasal function, and meet the patient’s aesthetic goals. Dr. Miller specializes in nose jobs, nose reductions, non-surgical nose jobs, and more: Adjust the links in these sections as follows:

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The Plastic Surgery Podcast with Dr. Philip Miller

Tune into The Plastic Surgery Podcast, hosted by facial plastic surgeon Dr. Philip Miller. Dr. Miller is here to answer your questions, de-mystify plastic surgery, and help you feel more knowledgeable and empowered about any procedure performed at our center.

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    Episode 44: My First Time

    8 min
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    Episode 43: Top 10 Reasons Not To Get A Rhinoplasty ( Plastic Surgery)

    20 min
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    Episode 42 : Osteomas & Lipomas

    11 min
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    Episode 41: All Ears Considered!

    8 min
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    Episode 40: Infrared Light Therapy

    6 min
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    Episode 39: Beauty, the Plateau

    6 min
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    Episode 38: Botox and Dermal Fillers

    3 min
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    Episode 37: Cost of Rhinoplasty

    1 min
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    Episode 36: Different Types of Nasal Surgeries

    3 min
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    Episode 35: Do You Have to Break the Nose for Rhinoplasty?

    2 min
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    Episode 34: Do You Have to Stay Overnight After Having a Rhinoplasty?

    2 min
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    Episode 33: Don't Have a Rhinoplasty!

    2 min
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    Episode 32: Endonasal or External

    1 min
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    Episode 31: Are You a Candidate?

    2 min
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    Episode 30: In The Office

    17 min
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    Episode 29: Can My Nose be Made Smaller?

    4 min
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    Episode 28: Can't Breath Through Nose

    3 min
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    Episode 27: Chin Implants - Mentoplasty

    2 min
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    Episode 26: Columellar Struts

    23 sec
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    Episode 25: Common Terms

    5 min
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    Episode 24: Connection Between Facial Resurfacing and Tattooing

    5 min
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    Episode 23: The Sooner, The Better?

    4 min
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