4 Great Options to Fix a Gummy Smile

Overland Park KS

06 May, 2021

12:14 PM

Description

If you're like many people who want to fix a gummy smile, there are 4 Great Options available to you, through your Overland Park Orthodontist, to reduce the amount of gum tissue showing when you smile. According to a study, when the amount of gingival tissue displayed is 3.0 mm or greater, the smile is described as gummy. In orthodontic terminology, a gummy smile is described as an 'excessive gingival display,' and the study rated smiles as more attractive when less than two millimeters of gum were showing between the lip line and the front teeth. If you've been unhappy with your smile because you feel too much of your gums are showing, take heart and read on, there are 4 great options to help you get the smile you want. 1) Orthodontic Treatment For Gummy Smiles Orthodontic Appliances. If you have a mild gummy smile and the issue is due to orthodontic problems, then orthodontics like Invisalign or Damon Braces may be the first step because they help correct jaw problems which can make your gums appear larger when smiling. After orthodontic treatment many patients resolve their bite issues and by extension their gums appear smaller and more proportionate with their straightened teeth and new jaw alignment. Gum Contouring. Also called a Gingivectomy or a 'gum lift,' gum contouring is a cosmetic dental procedure that removes excessive gum tissue to reshape the way the gums support and surround the tooth. Your orthodontist can contour the soft tissue of your mouth, and reduce genetic and non-genetic causes of a gummy smile. Veneers or Crowns. Dental crowns and veneers can be used to make your teeth appear longer. They're often installed when people have genetically small teeth, or have worn down their teeth due to age or an accident. Many patients are self-conscious about their gum line and veneers or crowns give you back control of your smile with a cosmetic application that restores the fullness of your teeth. 2) Lip Repositioning Lip repositioning is necessary when the upper lip is either too short or overly flexible, and it exposes too much gum when you smile. This safe and easy procedure restricts the pull of muscles in your upper lip so that your lip covers more of your gums, thus reducing the visibility of your gummy smile. 3) Botox Botox is a convenient and affordable way of dealing with a gummy smile when your lip has an extra strong muscle that pulls it above the gum line. Botox works by temporarily paralyzing the muscles in your upper lip, so your lip won’t go up so high. Though botox is less expensive then other options to fix your gummy smile, the downside is the results are short-term lasting only three to four months at a time. 4) Surgical Options Maxillofacial Surgery. No one likes surgery, but the results of maxillofacial surgery by a trusted oral surgeon, can address gummy smiles with results that are positively dramatic. In many genetic cases, a patient's upper jaw, called a maxilla, needs to be repositioned upwards by a bimaxillary orthognathic surgery in order to normalize the patient's tooth and gum display. Usually this procedure is accompanied by an orthodontic appliance as well, and the effect is to eliminate excess gums and dramatically transform your smile. This gummy smile treatment can be life-changing for individuals who did not even know there was something that could be done. Bottom Line: There are 4 Great Options to consider if you want to fix your gummy smile. Each option ranges from short-term effectivity to permanent solutions and range in pricing from affordable to more costly depending on genetic and non-genetic factors that cause a gummy smile. Either way, you can start your journey to fix your gummy smile by talking to a qualified dental professional to understand the best option for your situation. Stroede Orthodontics14880 Metcalf Ave Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 491-3400 https://www.stroedeortho.com/o...