Gummy Smile Treatments

A gummy smile and the treatments for a gummy smile are not functional in nature. A gummy smile does not affect how you eat, bite or speak. A gummy smile is about perceived negative aesthetics and how your smile looks in comparison to your overall appearance. Even though your mouth and smile are a small part of your overall anatomy, they play a big role in your personality.

The Benefits of a Healthy Smile

Research has proven that a perceived healthy smile boosts your self-confidence and your self-esteem. A smile can improve your social, personal and professional relationships and make a better first impression. Studies show that you can even live longer with a healthy smile. In fact, a study in 2007 found that a healthy smile brings a person more success. Your smile is associated with different emotions. A smile physiologically creates happiness. 74% of Americans believe that an unhealthy smile has negative effects. There are a number of pieces to the puzzle for a healthy smile. White, straight teeth, healthy gums and good lips. A gummy smile is when the balance of teeth to gums are out of proportion. You smile and you see too much soft tissue.

The Causes of a Gummy Smile

The dental industry set the benchmark that you want to see about 2 millimeters of gum tissue during a smile. If your smile exceeds that your gummy smile could be the result of genetics. If can be the result of you wearing your teeth down. Your permanent teeth might have erupted improperly. Your upper lip might be too short, or your gums are too long and enlarged. If you have a hyperactive lip it might appear normal at rest but when smiling the muscles pull the lip too high. An overgrowth of the upper jaw can also result in the gums bulging out.

The Treatments for a Gummy Smile

It has been proven that close to 30% of American adults have a gummy smile. Physically there are no issues. You can chew, bite and speak normally. It is simply about aesthetics. The most common treatment is called gum contouring or gum reshaping. The dentist will begin with a local anesthetic administered to numb the gums. Then either a surgical scalpel or a laser will cut away the excessive tissue. This results in the exposing of more of the crown of the tooth. Either procedure heals rapidly and just like that you have a new smile. Botox is growing in popularity as a solution. The injection into the lip will paralyze the muscle and reduce the high lip pull. This is a temporary solution because it only lasts three to four months. Orthodontic braces might be the necessary solution based on your bite. Porcelain veneers or crowns can correct some gummy smiles and on a rare occasion general surgery might have to be introduced to recontour the upper jaw. Schedule an evaluation with your dentist if you are unhappy with your smile. A consultation can yield a treatment for you and improve your quality of life moving forward.

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