How to recover from a gummy smile
There are a lot of reasons one might be unhappy with their smile. One of the reasons being an excessive amount of gum is visible while smiling. This is known as a gummy smile!
In a normal/ideal smile 2/3rd of the teeth are displayed and the remaining is covered by the lips. If while smiling more of your gum area is seen it causes an unfavourable appearance.
What causes gummy smile?
- Teeth is covered with excess gum (teeth appears to be shorter than it is)
- When lips are short/ thin
- Size of the teeth is smaller than the gums
- The muscle in the lip is hyperactive , so when you smile it lifts high giving a gummy appearance
- Long/ bulging gums
- Misaligned tooth
When do you need to fix a gummy smile?
If the appearance of the smile bothers you it’s time you talk to your dentist about the available treatments. But if not appearance, what are the other reasons to get a gummy smile fixed?
Your gummy smile may be due to crooked teeth or because of jaw bone problems, it ultimately makes it harder to clean your teeth causing decay and eventually gum problems.
But can dentists fix this smile?
You can design your smile the way you want to under the expertise of a dentist. Gummy smiles too can be fixed by your dentist. There are a number of ways to fix a gummy smile, read on to know some of the common methods used:
Using laser to shape our gums:
Using a laser the dentist can shape the gums according to the ideal smile or according to the patient’s preference. Advances in lasers for dental treatment have led to more successful and comfortable procedures.
Gingivectomy procedure:
Sometimes a gummy smile is caused due to an excess amount of gum, in this procedure the excess is trimmed off and shapes according to the shape of the tooth.
Fixing the tooth:
The upper tooth might appear short giving a gummy appearance or the bite of the patient can alter the smile. This can be fixed by braces and surgery (if required). Sometimes just fixing crooked teeth makes the gummy smile better.
Jaw surgery:
Your dentist might advise you to have jaw surgery which is altering the jaw bone to give you a more suitable smile. It also corrects some underlying problem with your teeth and alters the shape of your face making it more aesthetic.
Lip surgery:
A lip repositioning surgery can help make your smile less gummy and is a good alternative to the more complicated jaw surgery. The lips are positioned in a way where it hides the gum portion making the smile more aesthetically pleasing.
Crown lengthening :
In this procedure an excess portion of gum is removed to display more of the tooth structure. This procedure generally takes 30- 60 mins, but can also depend from person to person.
BOTOX for gummy smiles:
You might have heard about Botox and know that it is used mostly for facial cosmetics. But Botox is also used to treat gummy smiles! It is a quick procedure. Botox injection is given to the patient in the upper lip area, this relaxes the muscle covering the gum part creating a more desirable smile.
This treatment lasts from three to four months. You can ask your dentist about all the pros and cons of botox therapy and make your decision.
Smile is a powerful tool when it comes to one’s self-esteem and confidence. Advances in dentistry allow us to do things which would have been unimaginable a few years ago. You can get a smile you have always wished for and seen on celebrities with the “ideal smile”.
It’s essential to visit your dentist and know all your options and procedures available for a better dental experience. You can make an informed decision about the procedure you want to undergo once your dentist finds the most suitable solution for your dental problems.
By Dr Shagorika Choudhury
