Gummy smile
The term “gummy smile” comes from English: “gum” refers to the gingiva and “smile” means smile. The typical symptom of a gummy smile is that not only the teeth but also the gums become visible when you laugh. Normally, the contour of the upper lip only reaches the gum line when you smile. However, if more than three to four millimetres of gum show when you smile, this is called a gummy smile.
Why treat it
People with a gummy smile often find it bothersome and aesthetically unappealing. Many of those affected suffer from reduced self-confidence. A likeable smile is important for the aesthetic impression you make, but it also plays a major role in social interactions. Because those affected laugh less, they also miss out on the positive effect that laughter has on people's mood and state of mind. As a rule, patients with a gummy smile are therefore not at all satisfied with their facial aesthetics, and they also have problems with sensitivity to cold or with malocclusions.
Causes of a gummy smile or gingival smile
There are several causes of a gummy smile: an upper jaw that is too long, a lip that is too short or teeth that are too small. Another well-known cause of a gummy smile is overactivity of the muscle that controls the upper lip. In these cases, the lip lifts higher than normal when you smile (high lip line), which results in a gummy smile. Finally, an adhesion between the upper lip and the gums can also lead to a gummy smile.
Solutions for a gummy or gingival smile
Depending on the cause of the gummy smile, there are two classic solutions for treating it:
- Orthodontic treatment & jaw surgery: If the gummy smile is caused by an upper jaw that is too long, treatment usually combines orthodontic treatment with a jaw surgery procedure. The surgeon removes the horizontal bone segment and fixes it in a new position. With orthognathic surgery, reducing the upper jaw makes the face rounder and more harmonious, which achieves greater harmony between the facial features. The operation is performed under general anaesthetic and a hospital stay is necessary. These patients normally also receive orthodontic treatment so that the dental arches fit together.
- Lip repositioning: If the cause is a lip that is too short, treatment is carried out by lip repositioning. However, this is only possible if there is enough gum tissue, there are no jaw deformities and there is no excessive muscle pull. In this outpatient procedure, the doctor repositions and shortens the movable mucosa in the upper jaw.
- Orthodontic treatment & periodontics: If teeth that are too small are the cause of a gummy smile, the gummy smile can be treated by combining orthodontic treatment with periodontal surgery. Orthodontics takes care of correcting the malocclusions. Periodontics reduces the excess gum tissue that covers the teeth in patients with a gummy smile by lengthening the crowns.
- Other treatment options: In cases where the muscle that lifts the upper lip pulls too strongly, a Botox injection can suppress the muscle tone. In particularly severe cases, a small incision is made through the muscle. An overdeveloped or overly tight connection between the gums and the upper lip can also be corrected in a minimally invasive procedure under local anaesthetic.
Your new smile
Several factors need to be taken into account to determine the most suitable smile line for each patient:
- Shape and size of the lips
- Facial muscles
- Shape and size of the teeth
- Gum tissue
- For a more attractive smile line, the visible gum tissue should have balanced contours that complement the upper lip.
Why should you have your gummy smile treated?
After treatment of a gummy smile, the aesthetic change is spectacular. The smile between the upper dental arch and the jaw is much sweeter and more balanced.
How it works
1. Initial planning
- We get to know each other during an initial consultation. We discuss your wishes and analyse which treatment options are suitable for you.
- In the next step, we take what are known as records. This includes a surgical photo analysis as well as a cephalometric X-ray and a panoramic X-ray.
- Our orthodontists then measure the data very precisely and draw up an initial plan
- We then discuss this plan together with you and decide whether purely orthodontic treatment or surgically assisted treatment makes sense.
2. Detailed planning
- Based on a 3D scan, we create 3D-printed models of your teeth
- We then import the model data into special software and create a simulation in which we can already simulate the surgical movements
- Joint surgical and orthodontic consultation: one of the things that sets us apart is that the results of the planning are agreed together with you, an experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeon and an experienced orthodontist. This appointment is so important because the outcome of treatment ultimately depends very much on how well the medical experts coordinate. The aim is to align the treatment protocol between the oral and maxillofacial surgeon and the orthodontist. You will also be shown educational videos, and the procedure will be explained to you on a model skull.
3. Treatment
Three treatment protocols can be considered:
- Surgery Late (long orthodontic treatment, then surgery, then orthodontic fine-tuning)
- Surgery First (surgery first, then orthodontic treatment)
- Surgery Advanced (short orthodontic treatment, then surgery, then orthodontic fine-tuning)
4. Retention
During retention, we use state-of-the-art appliances such as Hawley retainers, Memotain wires or Vivera retainers to make sure that the result achieved also lasts. At the Eltz Institut, you also benefit from our 1-year retention guarantee.