REDUCE A GUMMY SMILE
A gummy smile is when a person has excessive gum tissue covering their tooth structure. A gummy smile can make you self-conscious and avoid smiling a big and bright smile. If you or a loved one has a gummy smile preventing them from living their best life, there are options available to correct it and give the patient a smile they love.
Ideally, when we smile, the upper lip should sit just above the teeth showing little, if any, gum tissue. If you have excessive gum tissue showing when you smile, your dentist can help you determine what is causing your gummy smile, which could be due to:
- Small teeth
- Malocclusion (a bad bite)
- A short upper lip
- Periodontal disease
- Prescription medications
When the cause has been established, your doctor can begin to form a treatment plan appropriate for your individual case and help you determine what path is best for you!
Can a gummy smile be fixed?
There are a number of options that are available for treating a gummy smile. The treatment that your doctor advises will be largely based on the cause of your gummy smile. If you have a periodontal disease causing your gum tissue to overgrow, your dentist will be more likely to advise gum contouring as opposed to major surgery. Here are some of the treatments most common for a gummy smile:
- Botox: Botox injections can actually be used to disguise a gummy smile. This is not a long-term solution since Botox wears off and has to be repeated every few months. For this treatment, Botox is injected into the upper lip, freezing the muscles and preventing The upper lip from contracting when you smile. Having Botox injections is minimally invasive and requires no healing time.
- Lip filler: Another option similar to Botox injections is to have lip filler injections such as Juvederm. The result is much like that of Botox and can last a year as opposed to a few months. Lip filler injections are usually more expensive than Botox but again, they do last longer.
- Gingivectomy: Gum contouring surgery users a soft tissue laser or scalpel to remove excess gum tissue and expose more tooth structure. Your doctor can use a soft tissue laser to treat periodontal disease and gum recession as well. Gingivectomy is also used to correct an uneven gum line. There is some healing time involved with a gingivectomy but it is usually only about a week.
- Lip surgery: Lip repositioning or lip lowering surgery involves removing a small strip of tissue from inside the upper lip. The lip is then stitched to the gum tissue and prevents your lip from raising too much when you smile. This is a more invasive procedure but some women find that their upper lip is fuller after surgery and see that as a bonus!
- Jaw surgery: For this procedure, the upper jaw is actually repositioned. This is the most invasive option and is only used for the most severe cases of a gummy smile.
More on Gummy Smiles : How Do You Fix a Gummy Smile?