Are you aware of a gummy smile? It can be a cause of aesthetic concern to most of us. When the appearance of gums while smiling looks excessive, it is considered a gummy smile.

There are a lot of reasons for a gummy smile and it can be managed on both a temporary and permanent basis.

A gummy smile can be perceptive visually but a display of gum which is more than 4 mm is considered excessive.

Causes of gummy smile and their management

The gummy smile can occur due to issues in:

• Teeth:

When the teeth are small due to usage with time or it can be genetic. Also, when teeth of the upper jaw are placed way farther(outwards) than the lower jaw.

Orthodontic treatment

When teeth are proclined outwards or erupted far away, orthodontic treatment can be used to straighten them. Once the teeth are normally positioned, aesthetic treatments can be done to match the shades of upper and lower teeth.

• Gums: The soft tissue of gums can overgrow over teeth in some diseases, as a side effect of certain medications or due to habits such as mouth breathing.

Gingival(gum) lift or Gingivectomy

When the gums are overgrown, gingivectomy is considered as the best treatment option. It helps reduce the gum tissue, restores the normal shape, size and contour of gums, thereby restoring aesthetics.

This type of surgery is referred to as gum lift. Gingivectomy can be performed with lasers, it is a chair side procedure and most of the time it can be done quickly.

• Jaws: When there is disparity in size of the jaw in comparison to the soft tissue of lips and face, it results in a gummy smile.

Surgery of jaw bone

For severe overlap of jaw bones, orthognathic surgery or jaw correction surgeries are recommended. These are usually performed when the disparity is more than 7 mm.

• Lips: when the muscles around lips are way too sound, hyper activity of lips may result. This will make the lips move too far from when a person smiles, resulting in increased display of gums.

Lip Surgery:

Lip repositioning surgeries are done to change the position of lips in relation to the teeth and hence reduce the display of gums.

• Oral prophylaxis: Also known as professional cleaning of teeth. It helps reduce the deposits on the teeth as well as at the gums and teeth interface. It helps as a measure to prevent diseases of gums. Further, it acts as an adjunct to surgeries by reducing the bacterial load.

Our dentist in Dubai can discuss your gummy smile treatment choices with you and help you choose the best one for you.

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