When people laugh, their lips are separated from each other, and a part of the mouth and teeth space is visible. According to an experienced dentist in downtown Vancouver, if the shape of the person’s lips is in a way that when smiling, the upper gums can be seen at the junction of the lips and gums, then they have a smile gap problem or gummy smile. The visibility of the gums could be more pleasant for people, and in many cases, it reduces a person’s self-confidence. Usually, these people try to smile briefly in different situations, and there are no signs of loud laughter on their faces.
The Cause of Gummy Smile
Many factors affect the appearance of a gummy smile on a person’s face. These factors can be both congenital and genetic problems, and they can be caused by things such as hyperactivity of the lip muscles, injury, etc., over time.
The gummy smile, which originates from the disproportion between the teeth and the gum, is a natural feature in the human body and does not cause a problem in terms of the person’s daily activities, such as talking and eating, so if a child or one of the people of your family had this problem, there is no need to worry. But in terms of appearance, most people use treatment methods to solve it. But the main reasons for creating a gummy smile are the following:
- Shortness of teeth because part of them is under the gums.
- The low height of the teeth, compared to the gums, is caused by genetics and tooth wear.
- Short upper lip
- The high reaction of the upper lip when laughing rises a lot, and the gum space is observed.
- Long gums (gingival hypertrophy)
- Protrusion and excessive growth of the upper jaw, which is created as a protrusion (maxilla)
Gummy Smile Treatment Methods
Different methods and ways to treat a gummy smile can be used according to the severity of the smile and other conditions. In the following, we review several ways to treat a gummy smile:
- Gummy smile treatment with orthodontics
Using orthodontics, the doctor corrects the teeth. The method by which the gum protrusion is removed. This treatment method, which is included in the category of non-invasive treatment methods, requires a lot of time and sometimes lasts several months.
- Gummy smile treatment with lip surgery
If the cause of the gummy smile is related to the shortness of the lips and its high performance, it can be treated with lip surgery. Of course, in this case, jaw surgery may be needed because the lip is moved. But often, they solve the problem with orthodontics and consider it a secondary way instead of jaw surgery.
- Treatment of gummy smile by creating a veneer
When a person has short teeth, which may be caused by tooth wear or genetic effects, the problem can be solved by creating a dental crown. Dental veneers make the teeth longer, increasing the ratio of their surface to the gum surface.
- Gummy smile treatment with laser
One of the reasons for creating a gummy smile was the large surface of the gum and placing a large amount of tooth under the gum; in such cases, this tissue and the excess surface of the gum can be removed from the tooth with the help of laser technology to increase the visible surface of the tooth.
- Gummy smile treatment with gum surgery to increase the length of the tooth crown
If the amount of gum smile is severe and a large part of the tooth is under the gum, the need for gum surgery is felt. The same thing done in laser surgery is also done in this part of the surgery, and the goal is to remove the gum surface from the tooth. However, laser surgery was used for mild or moderate intensity of the step smile, and gum surgery was used for severe cases. This method increases the tooth’s visible surface and raises the connection between the lips and gums so that the lips are properly on the gums.
- Gummy smile treatment with surgery
If the gummy smile is caused by jaw protrusion, orthognathic or knife surgery is recommended for treatment. In this method, ideal and natural conditions for the face are created by correcting the upper jaw’s surface and moving it. This method is not an outpatient treatment, and you should be careful that you must be admitted to the hospital to perform it so that your surgery can be performed under anesthesia.
The next thing you should consider about treating a gummy smile with a surgical method is that orthodontics is needed after the operation.
- Gummy smile treatment with Botox
One of the methods used to make changes in the size, shape of the face and body is the use of Botox. Botox usually prevents muscle changes by causing reactions and puts the muscle to sleep. Gummy Smile Botox is a factor in reducing the upper lip lift so that the space in your mouth becomes less when you laugh. In this way, the gums are no longer visible when laughing.
The shelf life of Botox for a gummy smile is less than 4 months, and the person must go to the doctor to repeat the process with her approval.
