Gummy Smile Treatment From a Cosmetic Dentist

A gummy smile shows more gum tissue than expected. If you consider your smile a bit too gummy, a cosmetic dentist can provide various treatments to help achieve the look you want. A cosmetic dentist can help patients safely alter the appearance of a gummy smile and other issues with various cosmetic treatments.

Gummy smiles explained

Dentists refer to gummy smiles as excessive gingival displays. There is no medical rubric for this because it is not an oral health condition. As per Healthline, whether or not patients think their smile is gummy boils down to personal preference. However, when a patient believes their smile to be gummy, it is most often because:

• The upper lip is thin
• The upper lip hikes up unusually high while smiling
• The teeth grew in too long, and the gums followed suit
• The jaw or bite is misaligned

Note that some patients simply have more gum tissue than expected. This can happen due to how the teeth grew in, such as if the gums continued to cover too much of the teeth as they tried to erupt.

How a cosmetic dentist can help with a gummy smile

No matter the cause of a gummy smile, a cosmetic dentist can help change its appearance. They may recommend one of several cosmetic treatments. Here are the three most common:

Botox® and other injections

Botox® is best known for its ability to smooth out wrinkles by limiting repetitive muscle movement. However, this injection can also work as a gummy smile treatment, limiting the movement of an overactive upper lip. While noninvasive, the results do not last forever, with patients needing injections every six months to maintain the new appearance.

Similarly, hyaluronic acid (HA) can be used as a gummy smile treatment. HA is a filler that limits any muscle movement that contributes to an overactive upper lip. Results last slightly longer than Botox—about eight months, per Healthline. It is also important to note that not all dentists offer this option; only those certified do so.

Gum contouring

This is a cosmetic dental procedure in which the dentist reshapes the gum line. It can be performed to rebuild the gum line or reduce its volume. The cosmetic dentist will numb the area and then use a laser or scalpel to remove any excess gum tissue contributing to a gummy smile.

Orthodontic treatment

A cosmetic dentist will typically recommend orthodontic treatment when a gummy smile results from issues with the jawbone or bite. This is because how the upper and lower jaw or arches of teeth fit together can affect how much of the gums show through when smiling. Clear aligners or braces may realign the jaw and bite, correcting a gummy smile. This will also make cleaning the teeth easier, promoting oral health.