Gummy Smile – Causes and Treatments

A gummy smile is an embarrassing sign of ageing, but did you know that there are a few ways to correct it? One way is by seeing your orthodontist. A gummy smile means “excessive gingival display,” which happens when too much gum tissue shows above the top teeth while smiling. The post offers more information on what a gummy smile is and what treatment entails and how it can be fixed. So read on.

How Many People Have a Gummy Smile?

Some experts estimate that as many as 10% of 20- to 30-year old adults consider their smiles gummy. Plus, more women than men believe their smiles show too much of the gum line when they smile.

What is a Gummy Smile Anyway?

No one knows exactly what a gummy smile is, and it largely depends on the person looking. What’s considered to be “disproportionate” for your gumline could vary from 3-4 millimetres of exposed teeth or more, which can lead you to have an unattractive appearance that people might call ugly.

• The jaw angle in comparison to the face
• The height of teeth in gum mass
• The shape of your teeth
• The shape of your lips 

The Causes of Gummy Smiles

In the age of social media and a world driven by selfies, it’s no surprise that we are all concerned with our appearance. And while your teeth should never be anything less than perfect. Too much gum exposure can take away from an otherwise pretty smile!

How do you know if you’re exhibiting some gummy tendencies? 

Well, this largely depends on how long your lips tend to stay in one place when smiling broadly or laughing heartily. For example, people who typically show their upper incisors during these occasions may find themselves inadvertently flashing more gumline than is considered “appropriate.”

But don’t worry: there are many ways to avoid showing off any excess lip space without resorting to expensive dentistry procedures like crowns for shortening teeth.

The pink, shiny gumline of a grin is only seen if your top lip isn’t long enough to cover the teeth or you’re very expressive. Hypermobile lips might reveal more than just their joy – they could also show off how big (or small) one’s mouth can be.

A gummy smile will happen when your upper lip is on the shorter side and hypermobility in some people causes them to expose even further down below that which yields extra-pink and sparkling pearly whites for all who see it.

Medications

A lot of medications have side effects you might never expect. One such example is the overgrowth of gums around your teeth, known as Gingival Hyperplasia. This condition can be caused by drugs that affect your immune system or prevent seizures from occurring. 

Although it’s not life-threatening and doesn’t cause any pain if left untreated for a long time periodontal disease could develop in some people with this problem.

What Treatments Can I Get?

If your teeth are covered by excess gum tissue, a gingivectomy could be the solution. This involves removing some of this extra skin to expose more tooth surfaces and can last for years with proper maintenance.

If your lips are the cause of your gummy smile, you may need to have lip repositioning surgery. This procedure changes the position of your lips relative to each other and is done by removing a section in connective tissue from underneath one side of the upper lip with an incision running along its length on both sides near where it attaches at either end. 

It’s also possible that this type of surgery will be more difficult for people who wear braces because they might not want them removed during recovery time or if dentures cannot fit over their teeth as well after healing has been completed which can take six months depending on how much work needs to be redone.

If anyone wears braces while undergoing this process then there could potentially be complications.

Surgical Options

Orthognathic surgery is a common approach to correcting orthodontically-related issues. This procedure will balance the length of your upper and lower jaws, meaning that you won’t have any trouble with gingival display or overbite anymore.

A lot goes into this treatment plan: most patients need an orthodontist as well as a maxillofacial surgeon to take care of their case. You may also undergo one or more scans in order for the team members can get detailed information about where your jaw has grown too far. Some cases require braces before getting treated so they know how much teeth movement needs to happen when it’s time for surgery.

Tad’s

Take your smile to the next level with a temporary anchorage device (TAD). Talk to your dentist about whether this is right for you. With TADs, there’s no need for surgery because it will pull teeth into place and reduce that gummy grin.

Conclusion

Dr. Gluck and the professionals at Gluck Orthodontics will be the ones to help with gummy smiles. This process goes smoothly and conveniently for you. In order for you to get in touch with the team, you can schedule an appointment in their Tennessee office.

joelgluck

Dr. Joel Gluck has practiced orthodontics since 1983 when he opened his own office in Nashville. He earned his undergraduate degree at Washington University in St. Louis, and his dental degree at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Gluck then completed an orthodontic specialty residency at the University of Michigan, one of the top five orthodontic training residencies in the country. He also wrote an original thesis and received a Master of Science degree.