Your smile is one of the first indicators of positive body language and plays a crucial role in setting a healthy first impression. It is the key to an optimal non-verbal language and when played with confidence, can immensely boost your morale. Although we do believe that all smiles are beautiful, if you are unsure of your smile or if it hinders your confidence, then we are here to help you.
Gummy smiles are among the most prevalent types of smiles that often make people conscious of their facial expressions and appearance. It is out of someone’s control but at 7DMC, we provide you with the best dentists in Dubai who adapt comprehensive approaches to offer treatment options to overcome gummy smiles. In this space, we are going to learn more about it.
What is a Gummy Smile?
Before we dive into the various treatment options available to you, let us first understand what is meant by a gummy smile. At its core, a gummy smile is essentially a type of smile that shows more of your gum line than you would prefer to. Although how much gum tissue is shown in a gummy smile varies from person to person, usually it is believed that showing more than 2 millimeters of gum tissue above the upper line of teeth makes a gummy smile.
In medical terms, it is known as excessive gingival display. Since a major portion of your gum is visible, it tends to make your teeth look much smaller than they are. It should be noted that it doesn’t pose any risk to your health. However, it can be a cosmetic issue since it can affect your confidence and self-esteem.
What Causes a Gummy Smile?
A gummy smile can result from a bunch of factors, most of which are out of someone’s control. Sometimes, one can develop a gummy smile because of their shorter teeth that result from premature eruption. As such, they remain partially covered by the gum tissue.
In many situations, wear and tear or even genetic outcomes can lead to your teeth appearing smaller, resulting in a gummy smile. However, in certain situations, even if the teeth are of apt size, there is an overgrowth of the upper jaw, which is known as vertical maxillary excess. This makes the gums bulge out. Enlarged or long gum, known as gingival hypertrophy, can also lead to this kind of smile.
The shape of the lips can also play a vital role in the appearance of one’s smile. For instance, a short upper lip can make it seem like one has a gummy smile. A hyperactive upper lip, which is normal in length and appears normal when the face is resting, can rise too high when smiling. This situation also leads to the appearance of a gummy smile.
As you can see, your teeth, lips, gums, and jaws, can all play a critical role in the appearance of your smile. This is because a visually appealing smile is all about the right balance and appropriate proportion. Much of the factors of a gummy smile are genetic and you can’t control it. But, with the right treatment at the hands of expert professionals and advanced technology at our dental clinic in Dubai, you can overcome it to get the smile of your dreams.
What are the Treatment Options for Overcome a Gummy Smile?
Advancements in medical technology have provided us with a wide range of options to treat a gummy smile. Here is a rundown of those options that you can opt for.
Dental Veneers or Crowns
Dental veneers or crowns are ideal options to overcome a gummy smile, especially if you want to go for a non-invasive route. Since these are attached to the teeth, they make them appear more proportionate to the gums. These are also the perfect choices for those who have short teeth, whether due to wear and tear or genetics. They perform exceedingly well in hiding gum visibility.
Orthodontic Treatment
Orthodontic treatments can go a long way in fixing gummy smiles in their mild forms. If your gummy smiles result from jaw issues or irregular teeth, then we recommend you opt for an orthodontic treatment. This includes an eclectic range of treatments including Invisalign, clear aligners, and braces, among others. An added bonus of aligning your smile is that it will help in alleviating neck and jaw pain as well.
Gum Reduction Surgery
If you find yourself in a situation where your gum tissue is covering a major portion of your teeth or if your teeth have not fully erupted because of any obstruction at the bone level, then you can opt for gum reduction surgery. Evident by its name, in this process, the gum tissue or bone is adjusted to expose more of your teeth. It is also known as crown lengthening or gum lift. It significantly helps in restructuring the gum line to be higher.
Laser Gum Contouring
Laser gum contouring is a popular way and one of the newest methods to get rid of extra gum tissue. This is also a non-surgical method to get rid of a gummy smile. During the execution of this method, dental lasers are used to remove the gum tissue over the teeth. This is followed by repositioning the gum to its rightful place. Mind you, this is done only when you have extra gum tissue over your teeth.
Lip Lowering
If your gummy smile is due to a short or hyperactive lip, then repositioning your lip with the help of a lip-lowering process can provide you with the desired result. In this process, usually, a small section of the gum tissue below the upper lip is removed. After that, the top and bottom portions of the gum tissue are stitched together. This ensures the lip doesn’t rise as high as it previously used to. It covers the gum tissue in the process.
Scaling and Root Planning
Scaling and root planning are ideal options to overcome a gummy smile when it is caused due to an infected or inflamed gum. You can book an appointment for a deep professional dental cleaning known as scaling and root planning. These are advanced forms of cleaning that can reach deep into the gum pockets around each tooth to get rid of bacteria and aid in the process of infection healing. Once the healing is completed, inflammation will subside and you no longer will have a gummy smile.
Botox
Contrary to popular opinion, Botox isn’t simply only meant to get rid of fine lines and wrinkles from your skin. It has its implications in other areas as well including overcoming a gummy smile. If you have overactive lip muscles, you can choose a Botox process to correct the excessive showing of gums when you smile. This is a quick process but keep in mind that it should only be used in moderation to contract the overactive lip muscles.
To Conclude
A confident smile can boost your impression on others and give a lift to your morale. Even though a gummy smile is harmless, from a cosmetic perspective, if it undermines your confidence, you can select any of the aforementioned methods to correct it. Make sure you get the right diagnosis at a certified dental clinic like ours and only perform a corrective process under the strict supervision of trained professionals.
- CATEGORIES : Dental
