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Gummy Smiles

Gummy Smiles
In a normal smile the top of your teeth should be just about where your lip sits, but some people who have a higher than normal lip line can often reveal more of their upper gum.  This can create an imbalanced look which exposes much more gum than teeth and is known as a ‘gummy smile’. Many find this ‘gummy smile’ cosmetically displeasing and many patients with higher lip lines avoid smiling because they find their smile unflattering.  Fortunately, there’s no need to be self conscious as there’s more treatment options for gummy smiles than ever before.

Gummy Smile Treatment

Traditionally, there was only one way to correct a gummy smile, by undergoing expensive orthognathic surgery. This complex surgery meant hospitalisation and lots of discomfort for the patient. 

Fortunately, due to recent innovations there’s a number of things which can now be done to correct gummy smiles. There’s two main ways to correct gums which are highly visible, by either raising the upper front teeth or lowering the lip itself. 

For those patients who have an excess of gum tissue covering their teeth, a simple re-contouring procedure can be performed which will help reveal a better portion of the front teeth. For some patients veneers may be used as a part of full mouth rehabilitation in conjunction with this procedure. 

If you have opted for the lip lowering procedure, then you’ll meet with Sunnyvale cosmetic dentist Dr. Gupta for a thorough examination. During this consultation, Dr. Gupta will review the areas that you’re unhappy with and can guide you to see a specialist in that field

The surgery itself is performed under a local anesthetic, meaning you will be conscious throughout. The first step is to make a careful group of incisions into the connecting tissue between the lips and gums. Incisions such as these are usually made exclusively inside the lips so that no marks of signs of scarring appear on your outer lip. The vertical movement of your upper lip will be limited, which will keep the lip as close to your teeth as possible. 

The second way to correct a gummy smile is to raise the front teeth, but this involves complicated orthognathic surgery which is generally only used in severe cases.

Recovery and Aftercare

There’s little recovery time involved in the lip lowering procedure and most patients experience only minimal discomfort. There’s very few risks involved in the lip lowering procedure and whilst the enhancement varies from case to case, the majority of patients are satisfied with the results. If you experience any problems or have any further questions, you can always contact Sunnyvale Dental Care Office.

Although the lip lowering procedure won’t cause any dramatic changes to your lips appearance, it will help to manage the height at which your upper lip lift when you smile.

Learn more when you visit Sunnyvale Dental Care Practice. Call Sunnyvale Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Gupta at 408-720-0900 to schedule a consultation today!

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