If you have never heard the term “gummy smile” before, it relates directly to how your gums appear in your mouth. There are some people that have an excess amount of gum tissue in their mouths. This can cause the gums to cover portions of your teeth, hiding them when you smile and making it look like you have very large gums. This condition is mainly caused by genetics and heredity, though there are some cases where certain medications have been known to cause problems like this. Whatever the case may be, it can be embarrassing for you to deal with a problem like this and you may want to get it treated.
There are a few treatment options available to you in fixing gummy smile, including:
• Gum Contouring – The idea of having gum tissue cut away may seem terrifying to a lot of people and in the past, the procedures used could be challenging, did not always work and could be quite painful for the patient. Today, the treatment methods have improved dramatically so that there is little in the way of discomfort. This is still a surgical procedure performed by a cosmetic dentist, but very often laser techniques can be used today to make the treatment faster, safer and more effective.
• Lip Lowering – Lip lowering is a relatively new procedure that can be performed to help correct this problem for you. This procedure is considered minor surgery and is not very invasive at all. In the procedure, the upper lip is re-positioned and lowered and reattaches some of the excess gum tissue back under the upper lip. This helps to lower your lip line to limit the lip’s movement when you smile. This procedure is very detailed and delicate and is normally only performed by very experienced and adept cosmetic dental surgeons and periodontists.
The only way for you to really know what the best treatment options for fixing gummy smile you in particular is to visit a cosmetic dental surgeon or periodontist and have a proper exam done. With the proper x-rays and evaluation, the doctor will be able to determine what the best course of action for you as an individual will be. You can then talk about your particular concerns and needs and get all of your questions so that you will be at ease with the procedures needed so you can move forward and get the smile you want.
