Osteotomes

Types of osteotomes

Lateral and guarded nasal osteotomes

Osteotomes cut the nasal bones in lateral, medial-oblique and transverse osteotomies; lateral osteotomies narrow the bony vault and close the open roof left after hump removal. A curved guarded osteotome is the classic choice for a continuous lateral osteotomy — the Cottle guarded osteotome, Neivert, Parkes, Silver, Ristow, Blume and Tebbetts lateral guarded patterns. The guard rides on the bone surface beside the cut.

Straight nasal osteotomes

Straight blades for medial and lateral cuts, including the graduated and fishtail Cottle osteotomes and the Walter, Sheehan, Converse, Gubisch and Tessier nasal patterns.

Dorsal and radix osteotomes

The Rubin dorsal osteotome is placed at the bony-cartilaginous junction to remove the bony hump; the Cinelli double-guarded and Tebbetts dorsum osteotomes work on the dorsum, and the U-shaped Rubin nasal frontal osteotome at the nasal root, where transverse osteotomies are classically made.

Micro and percutaneous osteotomes

A straight 2 mm osteotome is used for perforating osteotomy. See the micro rhinoplasty osteotome, the micro osteotome with rounded guard, the fine percutaneous Tebbetts nasal osteotomes and the Tebbetts set of 8.

Maxillofacial and orthopedic osteotomes

In Le Fort I osteotomy a curved osteotome separates the pterygomaxillary junction (Obwegeser pterygoid osteotome); in bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, introduced by Trauner and Obwegeser in 1957, the mandibular segments are separated with osteotomes such as the Obwegeser split osteotome. The range adds wedge, flexible and septum Obwegeser patterns, the Tessier, Steinhauser orbital and Epker osteotomes, an interdental spatula osteotome, and the Lambotte osteotome for compact bone in fracture and joint repair.

How to choose an osteotome

• Osteotomy first. Continuous lateral osteotomy → curved guarded; perforating osteotomy → straight micro; hump removal → dorsal; radix → frontal; jaw surgery → maxillofacial patterns.
• Guard. Single-guarded, double-guarded or unguarded; the guard sits against bone beside the cut.
• Blade width and length. Each osteotome instrument page lists its width and length; nasal patterns run in narrow widths, maxillofacial patterns longer and heavier.
• Driving. Osteotomes are driven with a surgical mallet from Surgical Mallets & Cartilage Instruments.

Curved osteotomes follow a contour (lateral nasal wall, pterygoid plates, orbit); straight ones cut along the line of sight.

What are osteotomes used for?

Lateral, medial and transverse nasal osteotomies and hump removal in rhinoplasty and preservation rhinoplasty; Le Fort I–III and sagittal split osteotomies in orthognathic and craniofacial surgery; interdental osteotomies in segmental maxillary surgery; and orthopedic bone cutting.

How BusinessMed osteotomes are made

German stainless steel, satin non-reflective finish; some patterns carry an aluminum handle or a titanium nitride coating, named on the product page. Reusable, autoclavable, 5-year warranty.