Correcting a gluey grin can be liberating for a patient. If you feel you have a gummy smile, y'all get it. When you smile and feel your gums are too big, information technology can haunt y'all. I know this because patients routinely tell me their gummy smile has been their single biggest source of cocky-consciousness. And it's non simply a self-consciousness that is occasional, patients routinely confess that they accept been embarassed to smile or laugh their unabridged life.

Permit me say that again, people with gluey smiles often take been embarrassed to grinning their whole life. No ane needs to comport that burden.

Do y'all know what makes the embarrassment of a gummy smile even more ironic? Virtually people with mucilaginous smiles take beautiful teeth! Talk about a psychological mind game for someone.

So what does a patient with a sticky smile practise?

They begin to consciously effort to agree their smile in certain positions to hibernate their gums. They even try to comprehend their rima oris when they express mirth. These methods assist to compensate to help them experience more than comfortable, but the insecurity still weighs on them. Can y'all imagine the bitter sweet feeling of being embarrassed every time you lot laugh in please?

Well heres the thing, a lot of people understand that feeling. Anybody has something they are self-conscious about. Absolutely anybody. Do non experience lone and please practice not feel shameful. For some people a viscid smile is their biggest insecurity. If y'all feel y'all have a gummy smile, please know that the feeling is common. Studies estimate that equally many as 25% of the population are insecure about their gums when they smile.

Do y'all desire to know the amazing thing well-nigh being embarrassed about your pasty smile?

It'due south an insecurity that can be improved. And when a sticky smile is improved, the insecurity is gone forever. I know this considering as a nationally recognized gummy smile good I have treated many patients who in one case felt their gummy grinning was their biggest defect. When information technology comes to gums, I've seen it all.

And approximate what? Patients that once hated their grin, no longer feel that unnecessary shame. In fact, their smile becomes one of their biggest assets. That is what I hope the same for anyone who feels insecure nigh their smile.

This article is meant as an ultimate guide to gummy smile reduction. Information technology will tell you the causes, the treatments, and the subconscious truths that all patients with a gummy smile feel they share every bit told past a gummy smiling specialist who has seen it all start hand.

What Is a Gummy Grin?

An attractive smile is less almost how the verbal dimensions of the teeth and gums; and it's more about how the smile is in harmony with the entire confront.

In an ideal smile, the upper lip sits just in a higher place the summit of the teeth– usually nigh 0 to 2mm above the teeth to exist exact.

A "gummy smile," however, exposes a larger than boilerplate corporeality of gum tissue. Whats the outcome? The smile creates visual disharmony of the overall facial proportions. As I talked nigh before, viscous smiles are common. The condition affects almost 15% to 25% of the population with a greater percentage of young women from the ages of xv to 35 beingness affected more than the balance.

What Causes a Viscid Smile?

The respond to the question , "What causes a glutinous smile," may seem uncomplicated. I know what yous're thinking, the cause is that there is too much gum. Come up on, Dr. Sutera, information technology's obvious.

The reality is the cause of a viscous grinning is much more complicated than that. Because there are a few different causes for a pasty grinning, its important to run into a specialist that understands each of the different reasons. Here'south why it matters: treatment isn't cookie cutter; it depends on the cause. Each cause of a gummy smiling dictates the handling needed.

At present that you understand that, allow's look at the iii near common causes of a gluey grinning. As ever, I'll interruption each cause down and simplify then they are like shooting fish in a barrel to understand. You've probably seen gummy smile causes stated much more than technically. If yous've read terms like delayed passive eruption or maxillary vertical excess, its all right, but difficult to understand. Why would I give you the raw ingredients when I can cook it for yous? I'm going to break downwardly the causes downwards but and easily so that at that place'due south no confusion.

Extra Gum (Gingiva) is Roofing the Teeth

gummy smile with short teeth; corrected by gingivectomy image boston gummy smile specialist

Likewise much gum covering the teeth is one of the almost common causes of a glutinous smile. The teeth are normal size; they are merely hidden by extra mucilage . The teeth expect short because they are partially covered. When the extra gingiva is sculpted and removed, the teeth wait proper size and the glue brandish is reduced. For this condition I desire you to think of a window with a shade on it. The window is normal size, but if the shade is stuck halfway down, you're merely seeing one-half the window. The residue is hidden underneath.

The Lip Rises Higher than It Should

gummy smile with lip rising too high; corrected by lip lowering surgery image boston gummy smile specialist

The upper lip is really a series of several muscles. If the lip length and musculus strength are causing the lip to ride up higher than ideal, there volition be excessive gums shown. The teeth may be normal height and the gums might be at normal top, just the lip is drawing dorsum too far. For this condition, we'll use the window example once more. Think of this status equally if the shade on the window was mounted too high, like on the ceiling instead of the acme of the window. When you describe up the shade to the maximum height, information technology exposes not only the beautiful window merely the wall to a higher place the window.

The Upper Jaw (Maxilla) is Taller than Ideal

gummy smile from vertical maxillary excess gummy smile specialist boston

Remember how we talked about facial harmony being of import for evaluating a gummy smile? What you demand to sympathize is that the ideal proportions of the face are 1/iii for the upper face (forehead), 1/3 for the mid face nose/maxilla, and one/iii for the lower face (mandible/chin).

In some cases, during growth and evolution, some people have more than growth in the mid face compared to the balance of the face. The techincal term for this is called vertical maxillary excess. The result is when the lip rises, at that place is more bone and glue underneath. For our window analogy, think of a window that has an extra wide structural frame. When a normal length shade (in this case, the lip) is pulled up, its too short. Yous will run across more than of the window frame than ideal.

Is a Gummy Grin A Cosmetic or Functional Business?

When we talk about a gummy smile, what we are really discussing is what dentists call the smiling line or esthetic zone – the teeth that are showing when yous are smile. The smile line is determined by several factors, including:

  • The shape and size of your lips.
  • Your facial muscles.
  • The skeletal proportions of your face up
  • The shape and size of your teeth.
  • The corporeality and thickness of your gum tissue (gingiva).

The optimal grin line appearance is normally nearly 0-2mm from the elevation of the teeth and it should be level to the eyes. Information technology is of import to note that the symmetry of the gumline is equally important to the height when because cosmetics.

We talked about cosmetics of a gummy grin, only tin can a glutinous grinning be a functional issue? In most cases, no. There is usually no functional concern with a gummy smile. Therefore, if a person has a mucilaginous grinning and is happy with the aesthetics, there usually is no demand for treatment.

So when does a gummy smile pose a health concern?

There are very limited and rare situations in which a gummy smile can exist a sign of a medical status. The first is when there is an orthodontic functional effect that is along with the gummy grin. In some cases the sticky smile is associated with a skeletal and orthodontic disharmony that interfers with the ability to chew.

The second state of affairs is when the gums begin to grow of a sudden when they were previously normal. The condition is called gingival hyperplasia. Some examples of conditions that cause gingival hyperplasia are if the gums are severely inflamed due to bacteria, if the gums are growing due to a medication the person is taking, or if there is an underlying uncontrolled systemic wellness status like diabetes, leukemia, or HIV which all tin cause the gums to grow and inflame all of a sudden.

Are You a Candidate to Gear up a Glutinous Smile?

Glue smile reduction is ideal for patients who are dissatisfied with the appearance of their gums and teeth. If your gums show more than you like when you smile, or if your teeth appear short or small-scale due to your gums, then gummy smile reduction may exist able to give you the smile you desire.

The best and most common candidates for gluey smile reduction:

  • Have been unhappy with the appearance of their gummy smile
  • Understand the risks and rewards of fixing a gummy smile
  • Have realistic expectations
  • Have healthy gums and teeth
  • Exercise good oral hygiene

Some general dentists may be able to care for your condition, but not all do. Your dentist may refer y'all to a specialist, like a periodontist, orthodontist, oral surgeon, or a viscous smile national proficient like myself, Dr. Sutera on the east coast, or Dr. Farnoosh on the westward coast.

If y'all've been concerned about your gum brandish for a long time, please know that there are many gummy grinning treatments available. And now, we'll talk about them.

Steps to Correct a Gummy Smile

gummy smile specialist consultation image boston

Consultation with a Gummy Grinning Specialist

The first step of correcting a pasty smile is research. That'due south what you're doing correct at present. You are familiarizing yourself with the information y'all need to know to succeed. Then Bravo. Yous already completed the offset step.

The next stride is to have a consultation with a gummy smile specialist. At the consultation, y'all tin look the mucilaginous smile specialist to heed to your concerns and goals, examine your smile, take pictures of your smiling, review 10-rays, and discuss options available. The pasty smile adept may likewise be able to digitally simulate the issue of the procedure for you depending on your case. From so its up to y'all. Let's hash out some of the treatments a specialist may present to you.

Treatments for Gummy Smiles

Glue Lift (besides known as Gingivectomy or Crown Lengthening)

A mucilage lift involves removing a portion of the gum tissue around a molar and placing the gumline into a higher position. When the amount of gum removal is balmy to moderate, the process tin be accomplished with a procedure chosen a gingivectomy.

Essentially a gingivectomy means the removal of glue tissue. Hence the name, "gingiva" which means gum and "ectomy" which ways to remove.

When the amount of glue tissue is more severe, it may accomplished by a procedure called crown lengthening. Crown lengthening is similar to a gingivectomy, just involves the sculpting of the area around the tooth to achieve proper results, which means adjusting the glue and the bone around the teeth to the proper level.

For most cases, the healing for a glue lift is generally effectually ane-3 days of mild swelling and tenderness. The full results are generally observed in about 1 week subsequently the process for a gluey smile reduction by a gingivectomy. For more complex gummy smile reduction with crown lengthening the final results may be observed in iv-6 weeks, and sometimes may be combined with dental veneers.

Lip Repositioning (also known as Lip Lowering Surgery or Reverse Vestibuloplasty)

For lip lowering surgery, it's a bit of a misnomer. The exterior function of the lip is not actually lowered or even afflicted. The process for gummy grinning reduction past lip lowering involves making two incisions at the gumline under the lip. A modest band of glue tissue is removed and the gum tissue is sutured to a lower position. The result, when the person smiles the lip won't ascent as loftier in full smile.

There are no changes to the lip or face up other than reducing the height of the smile. Occasionally patients may comment that they experience their lips wait slightly more than full which most patients consider an added benefit of the procedure.

The healing for lip repositioning for a gummy smile is almost ii weeks of balmy to moderate discomfort. At that place may be bruising that resolves effectually the outset calendar week. The key for success with lip lowering surgery is that the patient must refrain from smiling for four weeks while the procedure heals. By not grin or straining the lips during the 4 weeks later the procedure, information technology allows the smile to heal proper at the level the surgeon positioned it.

The final results for lip lowering surgery generally are observed at 4 weeks after surgery, and in that location may be some minor settling upwardly to about 6 months.

Botox for Viscid Grinning Correction

Botox helps to fix a mucilaginous smiling by relaxing the muscles of your upper lip. The upper lip is actually a serial of muscles, and what botox does is reduce muscle activity. So past injecting a pocket-sized amount of botox in the musculus that raises the lip information technology reduces how high your lip goes when you grin.

The results of the Botox injection will be fully visible within iv-7 days, and results can last 4-six months. Botox can be re-injected as needed in one case its effects clothing off.

The do good of Botox is that information technology is reversible and allows a patient to test how their smile looks before surgery, however, that is also the biggest disadvantage. Botox for a mucilaginous smile can be costly over the course of a lifetime to continually invest in treatments.

Orthodontics (braces or invisalign)

Sometimes a gummy smile tin exist less of a true problem and more of a delusion based on the position of the teeth. If the teeth are aligned in a position that draws attending to an assymetrical gumline, it is sometimes possible to correct a gummy smile past orthodontics. As the teeth move into an improved position, the gumline will also follow. In some cases orthodontics may amend the viscous grinning enough for the patient to be comfy, or orthodontics may exist an initial step prior to other treatment.

Gummy Smile Jaw Surgery (also known every bit Orthognathic Surgery)

The final option for correcting a gummy smiling is known as orthognathic surgery. This procedure is the most circuitous of all we have talked near, just you lot will be comforted to know that it is likewise the to the lowest degree commonly required. Recall like in terms of less than five% of all gummy smiles.

Orthognathic surgery is required when there is a severe discrepancy of the downward growth of the top jaw, the maxilla. The surgery involves adjusting the position of the jaw to a higher position. You lot can consider orthognatic surgery similar to plastic surgery simply with a functional dental component. If a patient is unhappy with the length of their confront every bit well every bit their smile, or if they accept a severe orthodontic status, we may consider orthognathic surgery.

However, as I said, don't get also ahead of yourself and think you need the near complex surgery to correct a viscid smile. In terms of gummy smiling correction by itself, orthognathic surgery is by and large not a common recommendation compared to the other options.

Which Treatment Exercise I need to Correct a Glutinous Smile?

We talked virtually a lot of what causes a gluey smile and what treatments reduce a mucilaginous smile. It's just natural for you to wonder, which handling do I need to correct my gummy smile? I'll help to narrow it down and match the common causes of a pasty smile to which treatments are most often considered for each cause. Here we go:

1) Too Much Gum over the Teeth: Gingivectomy or crown lengthening are the treatments most commonly considered to right big gums over the teeth that make the teeth expect short.
2) The Lip Rises besides High: Lip lowering surgery is best for permanent correction if your lip rises also high when you smile or y'all could consider Botox for a more temporary choice.
iii) The Upper Jaw is Too Long: If the maxilla is skeletally also long but the orthodontics are generally able to function adequately, lip lowering surgery can better a gummy smile. If the maxilla is long and the top and bottom jaw orthodontically do not align, orthognathic surgery is oft a amend option.

How Much Does Glutinous Smile Correction Price?

The cost for sticky smile correction tin vary based on the treatment that is required and the severity of the case. You will also have to counterbalance the pros and cons of the different options in terms of how permanent they are. For case, Botox may be more affordable for ane treatment compared to other options, just Botox needs to exist repeated every 4-six months to maintain the results. Other options will generally be more permanent, essentially a one and done procedure.

Botox injections for a gluey smile tin cost between $200 to $600 per treatment, and generally need to be repeated a couple times per year. Gingivectomy besides called a gum lift for the entire elevation arch tin cost anywhere between $1000-$2500 to correct a viscid grinning. Lip repositioning or lip lowering can cost anywhere betwixt $1800 to $4000.

Depending on the complexity of the example, the toll for gummy smile treatment could involve bundling two or more than procedures to achieve the virtually ideal result. By and large when a sticky smile reduction requires more than one handling, the cost can be presented as bundle which helps to lower the price compared to the treatment individually.

Keep in mind that gluey grin surgery is an investment in yourself. There are options to help make your investment more affordable. Some financing options available are through Care Credit, the Lending Social club, Flex Spending Accounts, and Health Savings Accounts.

How Sticky Smile Correction tin can Touch your Life

The benefits of improving your smile extend much deeper than vanity. When someone has whatsoever insecurity in their life it can be life changing to salve them of that burden. Improving your grin can improve confidence, cocky esteem, and allow you to exist the best version of yourself. Sticky smile treatment may provide one or more of the following improvements:

  • Let your teeth to be the focal point of your grinning
  • Betrayal more teeth, symmetrically, and evenly
  • Improve confidence when you lot've always been embarrassed to grin
  • Raise fullness of the upper lip
  • Create a smile that looks natural, relaxed, and sincere
  • Accomplish harmony and balance between your smiling and the rest of your face

Reveal the Cute Grinning that Y'all Already Accept

The fact of the matter is that you've already one. Past reading manufactures similar this you are showing that you believe in yourself. And you are trying to make improvements in your life. If y'all fabricated it this far in the commodity, you are nearly an proficient in understanding how to fix a glutinous smiling.

The signal I want to get out you with is this: Everyone tin make an comeback at something in their life. If you have been bothered by what you feel is a gummy smile, yous should know that there are options bachelor. You're able to not only ameliorate your confidence in your smile just too be the best version of yourself.