Are You Embarrassed About Your Gummy Smile?

The optimal smile line should reveal the least amount of gum tissue possible. Gums in the smile line should have balanced, even contours that are in harmony with the upper lip.

An average lip line shows only the teeth in your upper jaw and the bits of gum that extend upwards between your teeth.

A gummy smile is when you smile and too much gum tissue shows above the upper teeth.

Many people with a gummy smile feel their smile to be unattractive, oftentimes feeling reluctant to smile at all. It can often lead to poor self-esteem.

Gummy smiles are often linked to your genetics, and they are more common in women than men.

The causes for a gummy smile are all related to the lips, teeth, jaws or gums, which happen to be the key components that dictate your smile aesthetics.

The smile line and the teeth that are visible when you smile are determined by several factors, including:

• The shape and size of your lips
• The shape and size of your teeth
• Your facial muscles
• Your gum tissue

Causes of Gummy Smile

There are a number of causes of a gummy smile, however, the most common ones are:

• Teeth covered by excessive gum tissue that appear short even though they may actually be the proper length because they erupted improperly and remain partially covered by gum tissue
• Improper growth and development of your upper jawbone can cause a gummy smile
• Teeth that are small in comparison to the gums due to genetics or wear
• An upper lip that is too short
• A high lip line can cause your upper teeth to show more with a substantial amount of gum tissue.
• The muscle that controls the movement of your upper lip could be hyperactive causing your upper lip to rise up higher than normal when you smile exposing a lot of gum tissue.
• Gums that are long or enlarged
• An overgrowth/excessive bulging of the upper jaw may push your gum tissue downward over your teeth could cause the appearance of a gummy smile.

Gummy smile can have a negative effect on the esthetics of your smile. The good news is that a gummy smile can be corrected. Dentists in India are now educating patients about the various treatment options for gummy smiles.

Gummy Smile Treatment

Dentists in Delhi can provide treatment for many types of gummy smiles. Dentists can perform an advanced gummy smile procedure for severely excessive gum display.

Gummy smile correction boosts your confidence when you smile, eat and speak.

The appropriate gummy smile correction will depend on what’s causing it. If you think you have a gummy smile, contact your dentist to discuss about the possible treatment options.

Reputed dentists in Delhi are routinely performing procedures to treat gummy smiles. Depending on the nature of your gummy smile, treatment for your gummy smile may include:

• If the excessive gum display is due to the jaws or teeth, it can sometimes be fixed with orthodontics alone to shift the bite into the correct position and make the gums appear less prominent.
• Veneers or crowns can help make the teeth appear longer and improve the tooth-to-gum ratio. Dental clinics in Delhi like ‘Smile Delhi-The Dental Clinic’ are seeing an increasing number of patients who want smile makeovers including both their teeth and gums.
• Gingivectomy can also be performed to remove excess gum tissue. In this procedure, dentists remove the extra gum tissue and reshape it to expose more of the teeth and improve your smile aesthetics.
• If the teeth aren’t fully erupted, crown-lengthening surgery, which involves removing excess gum tissue and/or bone in order to expose more of a tooth and let the gums retract back to their correct position is a viable option. This procedure (Surgical Sculpting) can be performed on one or more teeth to create an even gum line or a more natural looking smile.
• As a result, gummy smile sufferers see more of their teeth when they smile and less of their gums.
• Lip repositioning surgery can be performed followed by orthodontic treatment. This can be a good alternative to jaw surgery if the excessive gum display is the result of a hyperactive or short upper lip.
• Laser gum contouring procedures can also help to remove extra gum tissue.

Dental clinics in India are seeing an increased more patients who want ‘Want Based Dentistry’ (correction of their teeth and gum esthetics) and not just ‘Need Based Dentistry’.

If you have a gummy smile, you feel your smile is unattractive and are sometimes reluctant to smile at all. Visit you dentist to know about the treatment options available to fix a gummy smile.

 

Posted by- Dr Shriya