The supporting skeleton of the nose is composed of bone and hyaline cartilage. The bony part of the nose consists of the nasal bones, frontal processes of the maxillae, the nasal part of the frontal bone and its nasal spine, and the bony parts of the nasal septum. The cartilaginous part of the nose consists of five main cartilages: two lateral cartilages, two alar cartilages, and one septal cartilage. The U-shaped alar cartilages are free and movable; they dilate or constrict the nares when the muscles acting on the nose contract.

Nasal Fractures

Because of the prominence of the nose, fractures of the nasal bones are common in automobile accidents and contact sports (unless face guards are worn). Fractures usually result in deformation of the nose, particularly when a lateral force is applied by someone’s elbow, for example; epistaxis (bleeding from the nose) usually occurs. In severe fractures, disruption of the bones and cartilages results in displacement of the nose. When the injury results from a direct blow, the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone may also fracture.