How to Fix a Gummy Smile

Gummy smiles, also known as excessive gingival display, is a type of smile where there is excessive gum shown below the upper lip. This can be caused by a variety of genetic reasons which can consist of short upper lip, excessive gum tissue, and small teeth. Smiles that appear to be more natural tend to only expose around 2 millimeters of gum below the upper lip. When one lacks confidence in their gummy smile, it is best recommended to contact a cosmetic dentist, surgeon or injector to fix the cosmetic issue. There are a variety of ways in which one can correct their gummy smile. When it comes to a permanent solution, one can look into gingivectomy and orthognathic surgery. If one wants to explore a nonsurgical option its recommended to go down the Botox route which has lower risk than surgery. When Botox is injected into the upper lip levator muscles, Botox will temporarily paralyze these muscles. Once they muscles are temporarily paralyzed, it will lower the upper lip from smiling too high where the gums are overly exposed. Botox use to correct a gummy smile is a quicker and cheaper alternative to surgery. However, after the Botox is injected it on average only lasts around 3 months so to maintain results one has to go back every couple of weeks.

Furthermore, Botox is a preferred neurotoxin treatment since there tends to be a high patient satisfaction. Most injectors will tend to inject 8-12 units at four different injection sites around the upper lip by the base of the nose. Full results can be seen after around 2 weeks. Depending on the patient’s structure of their face, one might also benefit from additional procedures such as lip filler, dental procedures, or even oral surgery.