Do you have a Gummy Smile?

When you smile, does your gum line show more than you would like? A “gummy smile” is defined by an excessive display of gingival tissue when one smiles. Smiling naturally causes a rise in one’s upper lip, and based on different factors, this may result in your gum line being more exposed than you would prefer.

Causes of a Gummy Smile

There are several causes of a gummy smile. Here are the most common:

1. The upper jaw bone can be more developed than the lower jaw bone, making it appear as if the upper lip is being stretched when smiling or even talking;
2. The muscles in the upper lip can be overactive, causing the muscles to pull the mouth too far back during smiling which makes your smile line too high;
3. Gum tissue can fail to recede properly as the adult teeth erupt. The teeth remain covered up by too much gum tissue. Although the teeth are the correct length, they appear too short and need to be uncovered.

Ideal Candidates

The ideal candidates for having the gummy smile correction with Botulinum toxin injections (such as Botox, Xeomin & Jeuveu) are those who fall into category number 2 above (overactive muscle). If you are displeased with your smile due to your gum line showing, the gummy smile treatment at Pura Vida Body & Mind Spa may be the answer you’ve been looking for.

Fix your Gummy Smile with a non-surgical treatment

With the use of Botulinum toxin injections, hyperactive upper lip muscle contraction can be controlled reducing the amount of gum line displayed when a person smiles. Injections into the muscle with a very tiny needle are be made on each side of the upper lip in order to temporarily reduce the lip’s hyperactive muscle which is pulled up too high when a person smiles causing excessive gum exposure. The treatment is quick and relatively painless.

How long will it last?

The use of Botulinum toxins is a temporary non-surgical treatment for patients suffering from a gummy smile. Depending on the Botulinum toxin injected, patients can expect to start seeing results within 2-10 days after treatment. Patients should expect to repeat injections every 3-6 months to reduce muscle contraction hyperactivity.

References:

Dinker, S., Anitha, A., Sorake, A., & Kumar, K. (2014). Management of gummy smile with Botulinum Toxin Type-A: A case report. Journal of international oral health: JIOH, 6(1), 111–115.