If you have a gummy smile and it’s making you feel self-conscious, it might be time to consider treatment options. Dentists have a wide range of treatments available to address your gummy smile.
There are many reasons to address the gummy smile appearance. One of them is to improve your smile’s appearance. However, to fix the issue, you need to determine the underlying cause of the gummy smile.
What Is A “Gummy Smile”?
In most cases, a gummy smile is a cosmetic issue. You may notice that there is extra gum tissue, which can make the teeth look small, uneven, or short. Many times, it can make you feel self-conscious while in public.
Dentists recognize that you want to have a beautiful smile and achieve your cosmetic goals, so they can recommend the right treatment. While there is no ‘perfect’ ratio for teeth-to-gum, the team of professionals can help you find the right balance to restore symmetry to the smile.
What Causes Gummy Smiles?
Many things can influence a gummy smile. For example, gummy smiles can be caused by these factors:
- Abnormal tooth eruption
- Improper jaw development (top or bottom)
- Worn teeth
- Hyperactive upper lip that recedes when laughing, speaking, or smiling
- Genetics (Altered Passive Eruption)
With Altered Passive Eruption, extra gum tissue overlaps the enamel, which presents a short crown appearance, giving the sense that you have hidden teeth. It’s quite common, though most patients don’t know much about it.
Treatment Options Available
The treatment you require is based on what causes the gummy smile. Most dentists have a wide range of treatments available to correct such an aesthetic flaw. You will need to have a consultation with a dentist to determine the best solution.
Treatment options can include:
- Gum Lift: A gum lift is a surgical procedure, which can be done with a laser. You get natural-looking and long-lasting results. Excess gum tissue is removed with more precision and accuracy, and the laser can help your body heal quicker. Many times, this treatment is permanent, but the gum tissue can sometimes grow back.
- Crown Lengthening: Crown lengthening involves removing some gum tissue from the base of the tooth, allowing more of the natural tooth to show. The effects should be permanent.
- Gum Contouring: Gum contouring reshapes the gum tissues to enhance your teeth’s appearance. It’s safe and effective, but it is considered a surgical procedure. However, the procedure is permanent.
- Botox: Amazingly, Botox can sometimes be used to fix a gummy smile, especially if the cause is that your upper lip raises too high when you smile. A small injection of Botox can relax the lips, giving you a balanced grin. It isn’t permanent, but it can last several months.
With so many treatments available, you are sure to find one that is right for you. Those who worry about the risks of surgery may find Botox to be the first step. If that works well for you, it is a relatively low-cost procedure. If you’d like something more permanent, you can find those options, as well.