Are you wondering how to fix a gummy smile?
We all want an attractive smile – one we can be proud to the world. Unfortunately, even if your teeth are even, white and healthy, too much visible gum tissue can get in the way of you feeling confident about your smile.
The good news is that there are plenty of things that can be done to fix a gummy smile. You do not simply have to live with the imperfection, if it is making you unhappy and self-conscious.
These are the topics we will be covering in this article: What causes a gummy smile? What can be done about a gummy smile – what treatments and procedures are available?
Wither further ado, let us get right to it.
What is a gummy smile, and what causes it?
What defines and what causes a gummy smile? Well, let us make sure we are all on the same page.
Excessive gum tissue
Excess gum tissue is the most common cause of gummy smiles.
There are several different reasons why you might have too much gum tissue. For some, the growth of permanent teeth causes an excess of gum tissue to grow and protrude as the permanent teeth push their way up through the gums.
Gum tissue infection can also make it look as though you have excessive gum tissue, when in fact you do not. In this case, bringing down the infection by practicing excellent oral hygiene and seeing your dentist for checkups and professional cleanings twice a year can prove an easy fix for a gummy smile.
Hyperactive upper lip
Yes, it is indeed possible to have a hyperactive upper lip, meaning a lip that lifts to expose gum tissue instead of covering it.
A hyperactive upper lip results when the muscles of the upper lip and under the nose are hyperactive.
Bad bite
A bad bite can lead to an excess of gum tissue being on display when you smile, particularly if your lower and upper jaw do not meet properly and you have an overbite.
Getting your overbite or uneven bite fixed should be a priority, since a bad bite can lead to numerous more serious health problems, ranging from jaw pain and unevenness, to gum disease and tooth decay.
Treatment options for gummy smiles
Now that we have established what a gummy smile is and what the underlying issues might be, it is time for us to discuss what you can do to fix your gummy smile.
Orthodontic treatment
If your gummy smile is relatively minor in severity and is caused by an uneven bite, orthodontic treatment might be the cure-all of your uneven teeth as well as your gummy smile.
Your orthodontic treatment options include traditional metal or ceramic braces, as well as clear aligners such as Invisalign, Smile Direct Club or AlignerCo.
Scaling and root planing
Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical dental procedure where the dentist deep cleans the patient’s mouth, teeth, and gum pockets.
Scaling and planing is usually employed when patients are dealing with a receding gum line, but can also be useful for gummy smile correction in cases where inflamed gum tissue is an underlying cause.
Crown lengthening
For more severe gummy smiles, more drastic measures can be necessary. Crown lengthening is one example of a more invasive but effective procedure.
Crown lengthening involves the dentist essentially expanding the tooth structure prosthetically in order to change the structure of the gums.
Gum lift
A gum lift or gum contouring is another surgical procedure worth considering if you are dealing with a more severe case of gummy smile.
For this procedure, the dental surgeon removes excess gum tissue and essentially restructures the entire gum line in order to lower the ratio of gum to teeth, and to make your teeth much more visible.
Lip repositioning surgery
Like repositioning surgery sounds much more dramatic than it really is. The name of the surgery is misleading, since the dentist does not actually reposition your entire lip.
What happens instead is that the dental surgeon cuts away a small section of the gums right under the upper lip before stitching the top and bottom together. This has the effect of drawing the upper lip down and reducing its ability to pull up, thus covering more of the gums.
How to fix a gummy smile FAQ
How do you fix a gummy smile?
The are multiple different procedures and treatment options available if you want to fix your excessively gummy smile. Which procedure or course of treatment you should pursue depends on the severity and cause of your gummy smile.
Gummy smile treatment can consist of any of the following: Laser gum contouring, gum lift, crown lengthening, lip repositioning, scaling and root planing, or orthodontic treatment.
Do gummy smiles go away?
If you are an adult and have a gummy smile, it is not likely to resolve naturally. You will, instead, have to seek orthodontic or surgical treatment if you want to reduce the amount of gum tissue on display when you smile.
Is gummy smile a problem?
The primary problem with having a gummy smile is that gummy smiles are not considered attractive.
What’s more, a gummy smile can put you at enhanced risk of having inflamed or infected gums, as well as bad breath and other oral health problems.
Takeaway
If you have a gummy smile that you are unhappy about, do not despair. There are so many different treatment options available to you that there is bound to be one that is suitable for you.
When it comes to treating a gummy smile, there is no one size fits all. Because the causes and degrees of severity of gummy smiles vary, so do the treatment options.
In mild cases, orthodontic treatment may be enough to not only straighten out your teeth but also reduce the amount of gum tissue that is showing when you smile. In more severe cases, lips repositioning surgery or other surgical measures may be needed.