Gummy Smile

What is a Gummy Smile?

A gummy smile simply means showing gums prominently while smiling. It is also known as the excessive gingival display. Our late actor Kemal Sunal is a great example for someone who has a gummy smile. However, not everyone thinks that smile type suits them as it does on Kemal Sunal.

Cause

Various reasons are causing gummy teeth.

1. If you have an upper jaw bone that is wide and of improper height
2. Having overgrown gum tissue,
3. Curling of the lip inwards while smiling
4. Having hyperactive muscles that control the lips’ movement cause showing an excessive amount of gum while smiling.

Depending on the cause, gummy smile treatment can be done with small repositioning applications on the gums, or by surgical sculpting of the bones to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing smile by minimising the gum display while smiling.

How to Fix a Gummy Smile?

Aesthetic Dentistry has advanced quite significantly within the past years and with the new developments, various treatments emerged for gummy smile treatment. Yet, these treatment types vary depending on the causes. It is important to diagnose the causes first to provide a more accurate and healthier treatment option.

Excessive gingival display treatments sometimes require small repositioning applications on the gums to even out the gum and teeth display. Sometimes, a bone surgery is applied to achieve a cute gummy smile.

All treatments mainly aim at delivering a balanced appearance of gums and teeth while smiling. Apart from repositioning the gums without surgery for those who don’t have excessive gum smile, botox or surgeries can be required if they have an excessive gingival display.

Laser treatments can also be used to shape gingival displays yet other surgical treatments are also preferred depending on the gummy smile and gum display.

Some of the treatment options applied for excessive gummy teeth are listed below;

• SRP Treatment

If your excessive gingival display is caused by inflammation or an infection, your dentist treats the gums with scaling and root planing. Once the inflammation or infection is completely treated, your dentist decides to undergo a laser gum sculpting treatment if you are an ideal patient.

• Laser Treatment

This treatment helps you get a higher gumline. Your dentist starts removing your gum line strips until a more contoured and optimal smile ratio is achieved. Laser treatment also minimises the bleeding and accelerates the healing process to a greater level.

• Botox

Botox is another treatment option for those with hyperactive upper lip muscles. Botox injection is applied to those muscles that are pulling your upper lip higher and with botox hyperactivity of these muscles are significantly reduced. Since it limits your lips to move higher, it will cover your gum display.

• Reverse Vestibuloplasty – Labial Reposition Flap

This treatment’s main aim is to reduce the area between the lip and gum tissues. Reverse vestibuloplasty makes the lips move less to prevent any unwanted appearance.

Is Gummy Smile Treatment Painful?

Gummy smile treatments are not surgical operations of grave importance.

Gummy Smile and Smile Design

Gum depigmentation is also counted among the cosmetic treatment options. Gum depigmentation or gum bleaching is also used in gummy smile treatments.

Crown Lengthening

Minimising gum display and gummy smile correction is carried out with a crown lengthening procedure.