Davis Nasal Projectometer | Rhinoplasty Measuring Instrument

The Davis Nasal Projectometer is a reusable stainless steel measuring instrument used in rhinoplasty to measure nasal projection, dorsal height and the nasolabial angle against a fixed facial reference plane. It is also searched for as a nasal projectometer, rhinoplasty projectometer, nasal projection meter, nose projection measuring instrument or Davis projection gauge. The instrument was developed with Richard Davis, MD, and takes readings at four separate landmarks — radix, rhinion, tip and the nasolabial angle — each on its own independently locking graduated arm.

It replaces free-hand caliper work and visual estimation with numbers a surgeon can write down, repeat and compare. Because the frame registers against the forehead and the upper incisors, every reading is taken from the same skeletal baseline, so a pre-operative measurement, an on-table measurement and a follow-up measurement are directly comparable. Healermed Instruments supplies it in two patterns — Pattern 1 with a fixed frame, and Pattern 2 with an adjustable frame and a centimetre scale on the top bar. Both are the same instrument in material, finish and measuring points.

Pattern 1 and Pattern 2 — What Is Different

Select your pattern from the option above before adding to the cart. Departments that operate across a wide patient range often stock both, using Pattern 1 as the everyday instrument and Pattern 2 for atypical anatomy and documented cases.

Specifications at a Glance

What a Nasal Projectometer Measures

Nasal projection is how far the nose extends forward from the plane of the face. It is one of the figures that decides whether a rhinoplasty result looks balanced. Both patterns convert that anatomy into four independent readings:

How to Use a Davis Nasal Projectometer

1. Seat the notched forehead base flat on the glabella, using the notch to fix the midline.
2. Bring the forked dental stop into contact with the upper incisors. On Pattern 2, slide the frame until both ends make firm contact, then lock it.
3. Loosen the first arm, lower it until the tip touches the radix, and lock the thumbscrew. On Pattern 2, note the arm's position on the top scale so the same reading can be repeated later.
4. Repeat for the rhinion and the nasal tip. Each arm locks independently, so setting one does not disturb the others.
5. Tilt the angled arm onto the columellar-labial junction and lock it to read the nasolabial angle.
6. Read each scale in millimetres and record the figures. Lift the instrument away, leaving the settings locked if you intend to re-check the same values later in the procedure.

Design and Features

• Four independently locking measuring arms — three straight graduated arms plus one tilting arm for the nasolabial angle.
• Tilting nasolabial pin that pivots and locks precisely on the columellar-labial junction instead of estimating it.
• Notched forehead base — a broad contoured paddle that spreads pressure, seats on the midline consistently, and gives a slot to mark through.
• Forked dental stop registering against the upper incisors, anchoring the frame to bone rather than to soft tissue that shifts.
• Dual mm and cm graduations etched into the steel, so scales survive repeated autoclave and detergent cycles without fading.
• Gold-tone knurled thumbscrews — deep knurling for gloved fingers, high contrast against satin steel so lock points are obvious at a glance.
• Open C-shaped frame that clears the cheeks and leaves the surgical field visible while the instrument is in place.

Clinical Applications

• Pre-operative planning — record baseline projection, dorsal height and nasolabial angle, and set numeric targets rather than vague goals.
• Intra-operative verification — confirm tip projection after suture techniques, cartilage grafting or de-projection, before closing.
• Revision rhinoplasty — quantify what changed since the primary procedure instead of working from photographs alone.
• Post-operative follow-up — document the settled result with figures comparable to the pre-operative record.
• Nasal reconstruction and craniofacial surgery — establish symmetry references on post-traumatic or asymmetric anatomy.
• Septorhinoplasty and functional nasal surgery — track dorsal height changes alongside airway work.
• Teaching, audit and anthropometric research — objective figures for trainees and consistent data for outcome studies.

Material, Finish and Reprocessing

Machined from surgical grade stainless steel with a satin, non-glare finish that will not throw light back at the surgeon under theatre lamps. Slides and thumbscrews are set to move smoothly without play, because a measuring instrument with loose joints cannot be trusted. Scale accuracy and slide action are checked on every unit before dispatch.

• Supplied non-sterile. Clean, inspect and sterilize before first and every use.
• Loosen all thumbscrews and open the arms to their travel limits before cleaning, so debris cannot sit inside the slots.
• Use a pH-neutral enzymatic detergent with a soft brush. Avoid abrasives, saline soaking and chlorine-based agents.
• Rinse with demineralised water and dry fully, including threads and slide channels.
• Steam autoclave to the facility's validated cycle for reusable stainless steel instruments.
• Store dry with screws unlocked. Before each case, check that the arms slide freely and lock without slipping.

Related Instrument Ranges

The Davis Nasal Projectometer sits in our measuring instruments range, alongside calipers, gauges and marking instruments. It is also stocked by surgeons working across our wider plastic surgery instruments and ENT surgical instruments catalogues, since nasal assessment crosses both specialties.

Manufactured by Healermed Instruments

Healermed Instruments manufactures and exports surgical instruments from Sialkot, Pakistan, supplying surgeons, hospitals, distributors and OEM partners worldwide.

Certifications: ISO 13485, ISO 9001, CE Mark, FDA CGMP, EUDAMED registered and EU REX (European Commission Registered Exporter). Documentation is available on request.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Davis Nasal Projectometer used for?

It measures how far the nose projects from the facial plane, along with dorsal height at the radix and rhinion and the nasolabial angle. Surgeons use it to plan rhinoplasty, verify changes during surgery, and document results afterwards.

What is the difference between Pattern 1 and Pattern 2?

Pattern 1 has a fixed frame and a plain top bar. Pattern 2 has an adjustable frame that can be sized to the individual face, and a centimetre scale on the top bar so the horizontal position of each measuring arm is recorded as a number. In every other respect the two are the same instrument.

Which pattern should I order?

Order Pattern 1 for the quickest setup on a consistent adult caseload. Order Pattern 2 if your patients vary widely in facial size, or if you need readings that a colleague can reproduce exactly.

Who invented the Davis Nasal Projectometer?

The instrument was developed with Richard Davis, MD, and carries his name. It is now produced by several surgical instrument manufacturers, including Healermed Instruments.

Is the Davis Nasal Projectometer autoclavable?

Yes. It is a fully reusable stainless steel instrument supplied non-sterile and withstands standard steam autoclave cycles. Loosen all thumbscrews before reprocessing.

Does it read in millimetres or centimetres?

Both. Every arm carries dual millimetre and centimetre graduations, etched into the steel so they do not wear off with repeated cleaning. On Pattern 2 the top bar is graduated as well.

How is a projectometer different from a caliper?

A caliper measures the distance between two points held by hand. A projectometer fixes the reference plane against the forehead and dentition first, so every reading is taken from the same skeletal baseline. That is what makes a pre-operative figure and an intra-operative figure directly comparable.

Can it be used outside the operating room?

Yes. It is used in clinic consultations for pre-operative assessment, at follow-up visits, and in academic settings for anthropometric measurement and outcome research.

Is it available for wholesale, private label or OEM supply?

Yes. Healermed Instruments manufactures under private label and OEM arrangements, including instrument marking, custom packaging and pattern modifications to a buyer's drawing.