Table of contents
What Is a Gummy Smile?
A gummy smile is a fairly common issue, and the amount of gum tissue that should be shown is often a matter of personal preference. The amount shown can be influenced by the way your lips move during smiling, the angle of your jaw, and the overall shape and height of your teeth.
Usually, showing just three or four millimeters of gum tissue that nicely frames your teeth is considered most aesthetically pleasing.
What Can Cause a Gummy Smile?
There are several reasons why people can develop a gummy smile, including:
- How adult teeth have erupted.
- Lift positioning.
- Medications.
- How Adult Teeth Have Erupted
Sometimes, having a gummy smile is a family trait. It can occur if your teeth remain covered with an excess of gum tissue when they erupt, making them appear smaller than they are.
The four upper front teeth can over erupt, so they grow out too far into the mouth. This can cause the gums to appear more prominent when smiling, and is an issue known as dentoalveolar extrusion.
Other times, a gummy smile can occur if the upper jawbone has grown longer than average. This is a condition called vertical maxillary excess.
- Lip Positioning
Some people have a more mobile upper lip than others, so when they smile, it lifts higher than average. Consequently, more gum tissue is exposed. Other times, a gummy smile can develop if the upper lip is slightly shorter.
- Medications
Taking certain medications can cause gum overgrowth, a condition called gingival hyperplasia. These can include medications to treat high blood pressure, prevent seizures, and suppress the immune system.
When gums overgrow, it is essential to treat this condition because it can make it more difficult to maintain good oral hygiene, thereby increasing the risk of periodontal disease.
Diagnosing a Gummy Smile
If you feel your smile is too gummy, schedule a dental exam at NYC Dentistry Center. We can examine your teeth and gums, discuss your concerns, and identify why your smile appears gummy. Diagnostic X-rays will likely be required during this visit.
After making our diagnosis, we can formulate a custom treatment plan for you and explain it clearly so that you understand how the recommended procedure will help correct your gummy smile.
Treating a Gummy Smile
Addressing a gummy smile requires a precise diagnostic approach to determine the underlying etiology, whether the condition stems from soft tissue overgrowth, muscular hyperactivity, or skeletal vertical excess.
We follow a tiered treatment hierarchy, beginning with the most conservative soft-tissue modifications and progressing to complex orthodontic or surgical interventions, all designed to harmonize the relationship between your teeth, gums, and lips.
Gum Recontouring
This procedure, often referred to as a gingivectomy or aesthetic crown lengthening, reshapes the gingival architecture to expose more of your natural tooth structure. We utilize advanced diode or CO2 laser technology for this process, which allows for surgical precision and immediate hemostasis (blood control).
By vaporizing excess tissue with high-frequency light rather than traditional scalpels, we minimize postoperative discomfort, significantly reduce the risk of infection, and allow for a much faster gingival healing process.
What to Expect during a Gum Recontouring
Before we begin, we determine how much gum tissue must be removed, using a special pen to trace this outline onto your gums. Sometimes, only one or two teeth need to be treated, while at other times, we may need to remove gum tissue from around multiple teeth to achieve balanced results.
We may provide a local anesthetic to help prevent gum pain and discomfort. However, this isn’t always necessary with laser dentistry, as it is a more comfortable procedure than using a scalpel, and no stitches are needed.
Our dentist will use the laser to carefully and precisely remove excess gum. As we remove the gum tissue, the laser energy automatically seals any blood vessels, cauterizing them so they will not bleed. This process, called thermal coagulation, enables faster healing with fewer side effects and reduces the risk of infection.
Your gums may feel slightly sore for a week or two after the procedure as they heal. We would likely schedule a follow-up appointment with you to review the results.
Our dentists are always very cautious during the gum contouring process, removing only the minimal amount needed. We always prefer to refine the results later if necessary to achieve a more perfect outcome.
Lip Repositioning
Botox Injections
If you have a gummy smile due to an overactive upper lip, Botox injections can help to relax the muscles that pull your upper lip too far upwards. This treatment is minimally invasive and can be completed quickly. The results should last for several months, but you will need to top them up periodically.
Lip Repositioning Surgery
If you have a slightly shorter upper lip, you may require a short surgical procedure that is performed under local anaesthetic. It involves removing a small amount of connective tissue from underneath your upper lip, which prevents the muscles in your upper lip from moving it too far upwards.
Orthodontics
If your gummy smile is caused by misalignment, repositioning your teeth to bite together properly can help. We offer a range of orthodontic solutions, including fixed and removable braces, to achieve optimal results.
Orthognathic Surgery
This is a more complex treatment that may be recommended if your gummy smile is due to jawbone misalignment. In this case, the jaw is repositioned during oral surgery. It is a procedure that will likely be performed under general anesthesia, and healing afterward can take several months.
Is Your Smile Gummy? We Can Help
If you feel self-conscious when smiling, please contact us to learn about all the options that can help you achieve a more beautiful and aesthetically balanced smile.
A gummy smile can affect the appearance of your smile, but several cosmetic dental solutions are available. Contact our Midtown East dental clinic at (212) 518-6096 or visit NYC Dentistry Center to explore your options.
NYC Dentistry Center6 E 45th St #801
New York, NY 10017
(45th St. btw 5th Ave / Madison Ave)
(212) 518-6096