Anatomy of the Nose: What Forms the Bridge and Tip?

The external nose is a deceptively complex structure of bone, cartilage, and soft tissue. Its shape—the bridge, the dorsum, the tip, the nostrils—arises from a precise architectural framework.

Bony Framework (The Upper Third)

Nasal bones: Two small, rectangular bones that articulate at the midline (internasal suture) and with the frontal bone superiorly (nasofrontal suture) and the maxillary bones laterally. They form the rigid upper bridge—the "bony pyramid."

Cartilaginous Framework (The Lower Two-Thirds)

• Upper lateral cartilages (ULCs): Paired, C-shaped cartilages that attach to the nasal bones superiorly (keel area) and the septal cartilage medially. They form the middle vault (the dorsum) and the internal nasal valve—the narrowest part of the airway.
• Lower lateral cartilages (LLCs): Paired, horseshoe-shaped cartilages (medial, middle, lateral crura) that define the tip, columella, and alar rims. Their shape, orientation, and interdomal distance determine tip projection, rotation, and definition.
• Septal cartilage: The quadrangular midline strut separating the nostrils. Its dorsal edge supports the ULCs; its caudal edge positions the columella.

Soft Tissue Envelope

Skin thickness varies: thin over the bony dorsum (showing every contour), thicker and more sebaceous at the tip. The SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic layer) and mimetic muscles (procerus, nasalis, depressor septi) animate the nose.

Rhinoplasty surgeons manipulate this framework—osteotomies for bone, suture techniques and grafts for cartilage—to reshape the nose while preserving (or improving) airway function.