1. A method for orienting a displayed representation of a surgical instrument while using a surgical instrument navigation system, comprising: operating the surgical instrument navigation system to display a two-dimensional image of a patient that is based on an x-ray projection through the patient; operating the surgical instrument navigation system to track an instrument location of the surgical instrument relative to the patient; selecting a three-dimensional graphic rendering to represent the surgical instrument to be superimposed on the displayed two-dimensional image, wherein the three-dimensional graphic rendering is selected from one of a rendered first three-dimensional representation of the surgical instrument as the surgical instrument would visually appear from a first perspective at a position relative to the patient or a rendered second three-dimensional representation of the surgical instrument as the surgical instrument would visually appear from a second perspective that is different from the first perspective at the position relative to the patient, wherein the selection is based on an actual operator perspective of the surgical instrument relative to the patient, wherein a profile of the graphic rendering is the same between the rendered first three-dimensional representation of the surgical instrument and the rendered second three-dimensional representation of the surgical instrument; and viewing the selected three-dimensional rendering that represents the surgical instrument superimposed on the displayed two-dimensional image, wherein the selected three-dimensional rendering that represents the surgical instrument is one of the rendered first three-dimensional representation or the rendered second three-dimensional representation; wherein the first perspective represents a first orientation of two possible orientations of the surgical instrument relative to the patient and the second perspective represents a second orientation of the two possible orientations of the surgical instrument relative to the patient.