How does maxillary impaction surgery (upward embedding of the upper jaw) alter nasal floor anatomy and respiratory physiology?

Maxillary impaction is a surgical procedure that involves raising the upper jaw, particularly in cases of excessive gum visibility (gummy smile) or when the lower third of the face is vertically too long. Because this operation brings the upper jawbone closer to the base of the nose, if the nasal septum (middle cartilage) is not shortened from its base during surgery, it can lead to nasal deviation and an excessively upward nasal tip, resulting in a “pig nose” appearance. To prevent this aesthetic deformity, surgeons use special sutures (alar cinch sutures) to stabilize the nostrils. From a respiratory physiology perspective, while raising the upper jaw shortens the vertical dimension, it often causes the lower jaw to rotate forward as well, thus widening the airway (pharynx volume) and positively supporting nasal breathing.