Six ways to fix a gummy smile

Everyone tends to experience something they are self-conscious about. For some people, a gummy smile which is known as an excessive gingival display is their biggest insecurity. The showing of excessive gum tissues above the top enamels can often make their smile seem less attractive.

Research has found that as much as 25 percent of the population, particularly women, tend to have an excessive gingival display. A gummy smile can be caused due to an irregular tooth eruption, jaw development problem, an inappropriate bite, an upper lip that is too short, or a hyperactive upper lip. Extremely enlarged gums known as gingival hypertrophy and an overgrowth of the upper jaw known as vertical maxillary excess can also make the gums bulge out.

A gummy smile can certainly be fixed, but the treatment type will depend on the factors that have been causing the excessive gingival display. Dr Karishma Jaradi, Head Dental Surgeon at Dentzz Dental shares some treatment options that will facilitate creating a gorgeous and healthy smile:

Orthodontic treatment

If your gummy smile is mild and is a result of orthodontic issues like an improper bite or minor jaw problems, undergoing a simple orthodontic procedure can help. Orthodontics such as braces will facilitate in correcting the jaw and bite issues which can aid in making your gums appear better while you smile.

Veneers or crowns

Some patients might consider their upper set of enamels to appear too short which affects the amount of gum tissue that is visible when smiling. This can be a result of wear and even genetics. In such a case, simple yet effective dental restorations like veneers or dental crowns can be used to make your teeth appear longer. This will facilitate in balancing out your teeth and gums, making your smile appear less gummy.

Crown-lengthening procedures

Also known as Gingivectomy, crown lengthening treatments are aesthetic procedures that are performed to extend the crown when enamels look short. In such treatments, the gum tissue or bone is extracted to expose more of the tooth, enabling the gums to withdraw into their appropriate position. This will bring about proportion to your teeth and gums both.

Jaw aesthetics

In cases where the jawline appears to be too large typically more than 7mm of gum exposed, a bone shortening treatment known as Orthognathic surgery may be executed by an expert orthodontist and oral surgeon. This procedure includes surgically moving the entire jaw in the upward direction.

Lip aesthetics

If you have been suffering from a short or hyperactive upper lip, more of your gum will be visible when you smile. A lip repositioning procedure can assist in making your smile look less gummy.

Laser gum contouring

Gum contouring is a minimally invasive aesthetic dental procedure that involves the gentle yet accurate reshaping of the gum line. Making use of specialized dental lasers, your dental expert can remove the additional gum tissue. The remaining tissue is then reshaped to facilitate exposing more of your teeth, helping to avert a gummy smile.