What are my non-surgical treatment options for a gummy smile?

You might not like the way your smile looks if you have a gummy smile. What is a gummy smile? What are the treatment options for a gummy smile? If you experience this, these may be some of the questions you are trying to find the answers to.  

Too much gum tissue that shows when you smile, also known as the excessive gingival display and a gummy smile, can lower your confidence and self-esteem. Fortunately, understanding the causes of a gummy smile is treatable with the assistance of your dental team.    

What is a Gummy Smile?   

A gummy smile is 3 to 4 millimeters from the exposed gumline. A gummy smile reveals too much of the gum line while smiling. There are solutions available, whether you want to cure your gummy smile for cosmetic reasons or treat these underlying concerns.   

Furthermore, a gummy smile poses no significant health risks. However, it can cause embarrassment and insecurity for many people.  

What causes a Gummy Smile?   

To correct your gummy smile, you must first determine what is causing it. There could be various reasons for your gummy smile. These can include jaw growth problems, irregular tooth eruptions, incorrect bite, hyperactive upper lip, muscle difficulties, etc. Here are some simple definitions of the causes of gummy smiles:  

Problems with jaw development: Your jawbone may have created a protrusion in your upper jaw while developing. Due to this reason, when you smile, you will have a gummy smile.  

Teeth erupting abnormally: If your teeth erupt abnormally in your gums, they may appear shorter. This is not to say that your teeth are necessarily short; instead, they seem shorter due to the gum tissue that covers them. As a result, the gum tissue covers a more significant proportion of the teeth.  

Hyperactive upper lip: Hyperactive upper lip is a condition in which your upper lips extend higher than they should. When you smile, the gum tissue will be more exposed than an everyday lip.  

Excessive gum tissue covering the teeth: Excessive gum tissue surrounding the teeth is a typical cause of a gummy smile.  

Gingival hyperplasia: this occurs when the gums become inflamed as a result of infection, drugs, or underlying systemic illnesses such as leukemia, HIV, or diabetes.  

How to fix a Gummy Smile?   

There are various treatments for correcting a gummy smile. You should always discuss any dental issues with your dentist and seek treatment choices based on their diagnosis. Following your dental appointment, you will be able to select from a variety of treatments. These treatments are classified as surgical or non-surgical. If you do not want surgery, look into the non-surgical methods listed below.

Non-Surgical Treatment Options  

• Orthodontic treatments: If your gummy smile is due to an orthodontic issue, such as a faulty bite or a jaw problem, you can repair it with orthodontic treatments (such as braces). Orthodontic treatments address the gummy smile problem and the severe underlying concerns such as alignment and jaw abnormalities. Paying attention to the gumline can help you choose a treatment. If the tooth alignment is asymmetrical and points to the gum line, then the problem could be an orthodontic problem. When the teeth migrate into their proper position, the gums follow suit. Your gums will also appear smaller after orthodontic procedures, giving you a more proportional smile. However, some cases require additional treatments to achieve the desired result.  
• Veneers or crowns: Another reason your grin appears 'gummy' is if your teeth are thin or short. The cause of small teeth could be genetics or wear and tear. Veneers and crowns are cosmetic dental alternatives that allow you to customize your smile to meet your specific needs and desires. You could receive veneers or crowns to modify the size of your teeth and make them appear larger. Veneers and crowns correct the gummy smile by balancing the proportion of teeth and gum.  
• Root planning and scaling: Root planning and scaling is a therapy that dentists commonly use to remove plaque from the teeth. However, it can also be beneficial to you in terms of removing a gummy smile. The dentist eliminates plaque from your teeth to the roots during the scaling treatment. Following scaling, they will perform root planning, which will smooth the roots and allow gums to reattach, resulting in a different gum line.  
• Botox: If you have a gummy smile due to a hyperactive upper lip and don't want to undergo surgery, Botox can help. Botox injections into the upper lip will keep it from moving too much by relaxing the muscles there. When you smile, your lip will not rise as much. Furthermore, Botox will conceal your gums and make your smile less gummy. However, Botox is a short-term solution. Within a week, you will see the results of the Botox treatment. The effects normally persist between three and six months. After that time, you will need to receive Botox again or pick another treatment to correct your gummy smile.  
• Hyaluronic acid infiltration: This procedure is a new approach to treating a gummy smile. A tiny amount of hyaluronic acid would be injected into the paranasal region of the face during this operation. This restricts the movement of the region's side muscles and reduces the rise of the top lip when smiling. The technique is similar to receiving Botox but could also be an ideal alternative. However, it is crucial to remember that a gummy smile is inappropriate in all circumstances. And, because it is a relatively new method, you should seek a reputable and experienced dentist in injections who is well-versed in facial anatomy.

Conclusion   

To summarize, there are numerous approaches you can take to address the gummy grin problem. Depending on the underlying cause of your gummy smile, you can pick from the non-surgical procedures indicated above if you do not want surgical procedures.  

Gummy smiles are generally not harmful to one's health. However, they can cause a lot of psychological stress for many people. A gummy smile is prevalent and can be repaired with primarily non-invasive to minimally invasive procedures. Your dentist will uncover the underlying cause of your gummy smile during your initial consultation. You can then decide together on the best treatment plan for your needs.

Contact your Pinole dentist, Dr. Hoss Abar, DDS, MSD at Abar Orthodontics, to know about non-surgical treatment options for a gummy smile.

Resource:

Reasons Why Your Gums Hurt?

*This media/content or any other on this website does not prescribe, recommend, or prevent any treatment or procedure. Therefore, we highly recommend that you get the advice of a qualified dentist or other medical practitioners regarding your specific dental condition*