A great smile is more than just having pearly white teeth. Although your gums are an important part of your mouth, you probably don’t want them to be so visible whenever you smile. An excessive amount of gum tissue displaying above the top teeth when you smile is referred to as a “gummy smile” or an excessive gingival display in medical terminology.
When addressing a gummy smile with our experts at Signature Smiles, patients frequently express that it makes them feel self-conscious or that their smile appears less appealing. The good news is that you can fix a gummy smile. Although the kind of treatment will depend on what is causing the excessive gingival display, once we identify the cause, we can start working on giving you a beautiful, healthy smile.
What is a Gummy Smile?
You might be shocked to learn that a gummy smile is largely determined by an individual’s perception and that there is no standard definition for it. It’s probably simple to recognise a gummy smile. In fact, surveys were actually conducted to find out what people considered to be excessive gingival display. In a typical smile, only two-thirds to three-quarters of the teeth are visible, with the remaining teeth being hidden by the lips. However, a gummy smile might result in unsightly appearances if there is more than 2-3mm of gum visible as a continuous band during conversation or regular smiling. Interestingly, gummy smiles are more predominant in women as compared to men. According to some specialists, 7% of males and 14% of females have excessive gingival display. Additionally, it has a hereditary tendency and is passed down through generations.
What causes a Gummy Smile?
A gummy smile can have several reasons, however the following are the most typical ones:
- The Teeth – Teeth that have not fully erupted and are still partially covered by gum tissue may give off the appearance of being short. The teeth are smaller than the gums due to wear attrition or small teeth from genetics.
- The Lips – When the muscles around the lips are overly strong, the lips pull up when you smile, exposing more gum tissue than usual. This condition is known as hypermobility or hyperactivity of the lip. Normally, the lip moves 6-8 mm from its resting position to the position of a full smile, but hyperactive lips go farther than this.
Another problem with lips is that they are too short, which exposes too much gum even when the jaw and teeth are of a normal size.
- The Jaw – The term “vertical maxillary excess” is a general term for abnormal growth of the upper jaw that causes the gums to protrude. These individuals typically have a large face and lip incompetence, which is the inability of the upper and lower lips to join when they are at rest.
- The Gums – Gum hypertrophy or enlargement can be caused by a variety of conditions, including hormonal changes during pregnancy or adolescence, the use of specific drugs like phenytoin or cyclosporine, specific gum tumors, or bony tumors emerging from the jaw bone, which can then manifest as extra gum tissue.
Treatments for Gummy Smiles
The gummy smile can be fixed in a variety of ways, but the best course of action for you will depend on the underlying source of the issue. Following are the few treatment options available for gummy smiles:
- Orthodontic Treatment – Braces can be used to force the teeth back into the gums to their proper position if tooth problems, such as those stated above where teeth have overerupted, are the cause of a gummy grin. Once the teeth and gums are in their ideal position, aesthetic dental procedures like veneers or crowns can be added to restore the tooth’s natural structure and maintain the proper bite between the top and bottom teeth.
- Crown-Lengthening (Gingivectomy) – A gingivectomy may be the best course of action if enlarged gums are the root of the gummy smile. This kind of periodontal surgery is often referred to as a “gum lift.” A gingivectomy is a crown-lengthening procedure where an orthodontist may use a laser to restructure and remove the extra gum tissue. This can make the gum line more symmetrical and reduce the height of the gums while exposing more of the tooth, which will enhance the look of your smile.
- Botulinum Toxin (BT) Injection / Botox – Instances of a Gummy smile with hyperactive lip muscles may benefit from Botox injections. In these situations, Botox injections should be administered sparingly to avoid over-contracting the muscles of the upper lip, which could have an unfavorable effect. This course of treatment must be repeated every six to twelve months and usually lasts for three to six months.
Final Words
There are various ways to fix a gummy smile if it’s lowering our self-confidence or you’re worried about the condition of your gums. If you’re looking for a Gummy Smile Treatment in Mumbai then Signature Smiles is the one you should opt for. With the help of our experienced team of super specialist doctors, we can help you with finding the right treatment for your gummy smile. Book an appointment or visit us at Signature Smiles.