Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnatomyFunctionAssociated ConditionsTreatmentSummary
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Anatomy
Function
Associated Conditions
Treatment
Summary
The nasal bones are two wedged-shaped bones that make up the bridge of your nose. They come together at a rigid fibrous joint, forming the thickest part of the nose.
The anatomical parts of the nose are fairly the same from person to person. In addition to the two nasal bones that form the strong vault at the top center of your nose, surrounding bones and other structures help support your facial features and nasal functions:
SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
The bony vault has many important protective functions. The nasal bones form the roof, while the frontal process of the maxilla and lacrimal bone form the sides of the nose.
Together these structures play a role in the following functions:
The nasal bones are the most frequent facial bone fractures. It’s more common in adults than children since young children’s noses have more cartilage than bone compared to adults, which protects them somewhat from getting abroken nose.
Most injuries are minor and occur related to:
Being born without nasal bones is a common abnormality seen in people with Down syndrome.Healthcare providers may check for the absence of nasal bones on pre-natal imaging tests as a screening for Down syndrome.
Complications From Bone Fractures
Other possible injuries that can occur along with nasal bone fractures include:
Contact a healthcare provider immediately if you think you have broken your nose.
If there is a delay in seeing a healthcare provider or if you think it is injured but not broken, follow these steps to manage discomfort and aid in healing the area.
Seek emergency care in the following situations:
Medical Treatment
If nasal bones have been displaced, but the break does not seem severe, the provider may perform a closed reduction to set the nasal bones back into place without surgical intervention.
If the nose needs to be reset or reshaped via surgery, the provider would perform a procedure known as an open reduction.
The nasal bones are two oblong bones that meet to form the bridge of your nose. Along with other facial bones and structures, they support breathing, protect nerves and blood vessels, and play a role in the making of tears for your eyes.
Damage to these bones can cause complications. If you break the nasal bones, you should see a doctor for treatment.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Park J, Suhk J, Nguyen AH.Nasal Analysis and Anatomy: Anthropometric Proportional Assessment in Asians-Aesthetic Balance from Forehead to Chin, Part II.Semin Plast Surg. 2015;29(4):226-231. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1564818Osmosis.Lacrimal Bone.Radiopaedia.Nasal bone.Cedar Sinai.Nasal Fracture in Children.Du Y, Ren Y, Yan Y, Cao L.Absent fetal nasal bone in the second trimester and risk of abnormal karyotype in a prescreened population of Chinese women.Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2018;97(2):180-186. doi:10.1111/aogs.13263Mount Sinai.Nose fracture.Additional ReadingNasal Fracture. Medscape.Goldenberg, David, and Bradley J. Goldstein.Handbook of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. Thieme, 2011.Ondik, MP, Lipinski, L & Dezfoli, S. (2009). The Treatment of Nasal Fractures A Changing Paradigm.Arch Facial Plast Surg.11(5):296-302. DOI:10.1001/archfacial.2009.65Park, J, Suhk, J & Nguyen, AH. 2015. Nasal Analysis and Anatomy: Anthropometric Proportional Assessment in Asians—Aesthetic Balance from Forehead to Chin, Part II. Semin Plast Surg. Nov; 29(4): 226–231. DOI:10.1055/s-0035-1564818
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Park J, Suhk J, Nguyen AH.Nasal Analysis and Anatomy: Anthropometric Proportional Assessment in Asians-Aesthetic Balance from Forehead to Chin, Part II.Semin Plast Surg. 2015;29(4):226-231. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1564818Osmosis.Lacrimal Bone.Radiopaedia.Nasal bone.Cedar Sinai.Nasal Fracture in Children.Du Y, Ren Y, Yan Y, Cao L.Absent fetal nasal bone in the second trimester and risk of abnormal karyotype in a prescreened population of Chinese women.Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2018;97(2):180-186. doi:10.1111/aogs.13263Mount Sinai.Nose fracture.Additional ReadingNasal Fracture. Medscape.Goldenberg, David, and Bradley J. Goldstein.Handbook of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. Thieme, 2011.Ondik, MP, Lipinski, L & Dezfoli, S. (2009). The Treatment of Nasal Fractures A Changing Paradigm.Arch Facial Plast Surg.11(5):296-302. DOI:10.1001/archfacial.2009.65Park, J, Suhk, J & Nguyen, AH. 2015. Nasal Analysis and Anatomy: Anthropometric Proportional Assessment in Asians—Aesthetic Balance from Forehead to Chin, Part II. Semin Plast Surg. Nov; 29(4): 226–231. DOI:10.1055/s-0035-1564818
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Park J, Suhk J, Nguyen AH.Nasal Analysis and Anatomy: Anthropometric Proportional Assessment in Asians-Aesthetic Balance from Forehead to Chin, Part II.Semin Plast Surg. 2015;29(4):226-231. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1564818Osmosis.Lacrimal Bone.Radiopaedia.Nasal bone.Cedar Sinai.Nasal Fracture in Children.Du Y, Ren Y, Yan Y, Cao L.Absent fetal nasal bone in the second trimester and risk of abnormal karyotype in a prescreened population of Chinese women.Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2018;97(2):180-186. doi:10.1111/aogs.13263Mount Sinai.Nose fracture.
Park J, Suhk J, Nguyen AH.Nasal Analysis and Anatomy: Anthropometric Proportional Assessment in Asians-Aesthetic Balance from Forehead to Chin, Part II.Semin Plast Surg. 2015;29(4):226-231. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1564818
Osmosis.Lacrimal Bone.
Radiopaedia.Nasal bone.
Cedar Sinai.Nasal Fracture in Children.
Du Y, Ren Y, Yan Y, Cao L.Absent fetal nasal bone in the second trimester and risk of abnormal karyotype in a prescreened population of Chinese women.Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2018;97(2):180-186. doi:10.1111/aogs.13263
Mount Sinai.Nose fracture.
Nasal Fracture. Medscape.Goldenberg, David, and Bradley J. Goldstein.Handbook of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. Thieme, 2011.Ondik, MP, Lipinski, L & Dezfoli, S. (2009). The Treatment of Nasal Fractures A Changing Paradigm.Arch Facial Plast Surg.11(5):296-302. DOI:10.1001/archfacial.2009.65Park, J, Suhk, J & Nguyen, AH. 2015. Nasal Analysis and Anatomy: Anthropometric Proportional Assessment in Asians—Aesthetic Balance from Forehead to Chin, Part II. Semin Plast Surg. Nov; 29(4): 226–231. DOI:10.1055/s-0035-1564818
Nasal Fracture. Medscape.
Goldenberg, David, and Bradley J. Goldstein.Handbook of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. Thieme, 2011.
Ondik, MP, Lipinski, L & Dezfoli, S. (2009). The Treatment of Nasal Fractures A Changing Paradigm.Arch Facial Plast Surg.11(5):296-302. DOI:10.1001/archfacial.2009.65
Park, J, Suhk, J & Nguyen, AH. 2015. Nasal Analysis and Anatomy: Anthropometric Proportional Assessment in Asians—Aesthetic Balance from Forehead to Chin, Part II. Semin Plast Surg. Nov; 29(4): 226–231. DOI:10.1055/s-0035-1564818
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
