6 Effective Treatments for a Gummy Smile
A genuine smile is lovely, with your lips sweeping upward and your sparkling eyes crinkling. It represents happiness and human connection.
Some people's joy may be hampered by a condition known as a gummy smile. It occurs when your smile exposes more of your gums than you would like. Excessive gingival display is a clinical term for it.
Whether you think your smile is "too gummy" is largely a matter of personal preference. However, you should be aware that it is fairly common.
According to some experts, as many as 10% of 20- to 30-year-old adults consider their smiles gummy. Furthermore, more women than men believe their smiles reveal too much of their gumline.
6 Treatment Options for a Gummy Smile
1. Oral surgery
If your gums cover too much of the surface of your teeth, your dentist may recommend a gingivectomy. This procedure, also known as gum contouring, involves the removal of excess gum tissue.
If your insurance company deems gingivectomy to be elective or cosmetic, you may be required to pay the full procedure cost. This could cost between $200 and $400 per tooth. The good news is that the effects will likely be long-lasting, if not permanent.
2. Lip repositioning surgery
If your lips cause your gummy smile, your doctor may recommend lip repositioning surgery. The procedure shifts your lips' position in relation to your teeth.
A section of connective tissue from the underside of your upper lip is removed. This will keep the elevator muscles in your lip and nose from raising your upper lip too far above your teeth.
In many cases, the results are permanent, but relapses are possible.
This procedure's cost varies depending on your doctor and where you live. Lip repositioning surgery will cost you between $500 and $5,000 on average.
3. Orthognathic surgery
If your jaw is contributing to your excessive gingival display, your dentist or oral surgeon may advise orthognathic surgery. The length of your upper and lower jaws will be balanced with this procedure.
You may need to see an orthodontist as well as a maxillofacial surgeon. One or more scans of your mouth will most likely be performed to determine where your jaw has grown too far.
Orthognathic surgery is significantly more expensive than less invasive procedures. If your insurance does not cover this procedure, the cost could range from $20,000 to $40,000.
4. Temporary anchorage devices
If you don't want to have gum surgery, ask your dentist if a temporary anchorage device (TAD) is a good option for you. This device can assist in repositioning your teeth, potentially reducing a gummy smile.
TADs are less invasive and more affordable than surgery. They usually cost between $300 and $600 each.
5. Botox
If your gummy smile is caused by moving your lips too far up over your gumline when you smile, botulinum toxin, also known as Botox, injections may be effective.
In a 2016 study, 23 women with gummy smiles had the elevator muscles in their lips paralyzed with Botox. After two weeks, 99.6 percent of the women noticed an improvement in their smiles.
Botox injections are less expensive and less invasive than surgery. On average, each injection costs around $397.
6. Hyaluronic acid
Injections of hyaluronic acid fillers are another option for temporarily correcting a gummy smile caused by hypermobile lips. For up to 8 months, the fillers restrict the movement of muscle fibers in your lips.
It is critical to understand that injecting fillers carries risks. Although complications are uncommon, it is possible that your blood supply may be compromised, resulting in tissue loss, blindness, or stroke.
The immune system of your body may react to the hyaluronic acid and form a nodule or granuloma.
In comparison to surgical options, hyaluronic acid fillers are inexpensive, costing an average of $682 per vial.
Similar Articles
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums that often develops unnoticed in the early stages. However, if left untreated, it can lead to severe complications. In this article, we look at five essential facts about gingivitis that will help you better understand this disease and take the necessary steps to prevent and treat it.
Everyone is looking for that movie star smile but we think to ourselves that it’s going to cost too much money and so we give up on the dream. You would be surprised at what can be achieved at your local dental clinic and people have gone in through the doors and came out a short time later with an unbeatable smile that may be even better than the TV and movie stars that we see every single day
Dental implants fundamentally changed the concept of replacing teeth.
Cosmetic dentistry is a branch of dentistry that focuses on enhancing the function and appearance of a patient's smile. Cosmetic dentistry near you is frequently elective, but it can provide numerous restorative benefits. Depending on the type of cosmetic treatment you have, most are rather easy, while some are more difficult
Tooth pain is a common but frequently misunderstood condition that can have a substantial influence on one's quality of life. Tooth pain can occur for a variety of causes, ranging from minor, short-term sensitivity to severe, devastating pain.
A wide, sincere smile is essential in our daily lives. It is usually easier to interact with kind, smiling folks. We get the impression that they are open to discussion and pleasant toward us. Today, a wide white smile also represents success and happiness.
Choosing the best cosmetic dentist is a complicated process. Why? Specifically, since, as one would anticipate, everyone claims to be "the best." Additionally, everyone claims to be a "cosmetic" dentist. However, there are five simple ways to assess a cosmetic dentist's capacity to provide you with the degree of dentistry you deserve and desire.
Tooth loss is very prevalent among people. More than 35 million American individuals are missing at least one tooth. Missing teeth can cause several dental and overall health problems. The good news is that there are various choices for tooth restoration.
When it comes to replacing one or more of your teeth completely, dental implants are a good and long-lasting option. However, many patients choose to avoid them whenever feasible. The medical reasons for adopting a different treatment option are always up to the patient. But what are your possibilities for tooth replacement?