When you have a gummy smile, sometimes you feel like you can’t smile or laugh naturally. You might cover your mouth when you laugh too big or feel self-conscious when you’re having your picture taken. Fixing your gummy smile can be a fun and rewarding treatment that gives you the freedom to smile your biggest smile.
If you have a gummy smile, a gum lift could give you results that make you smile bigger than ever before. A simple gum lift is a minimally-invasive procedure (usually using a laser) that contours your gum tissue in a way that allows more of your natural teeth to show. This results in less gum showing, and the amount of tooth show increases. What you see below is our patient without any gum contouring, just before she had her braces removed. In the Before photo, you can see how small her teeth appeared to be because of the gum tissue. The second photo below, shows a great comparison of the teeth on the left side of her smile after some gum contouring and teeth on her right side without gum contouring. The third photo, or the After photo, really shows a huge improvement in the appearance of her teeth and smile.
Before you choose any gum lift treatment, you should first find out what is causing your gummy smile. If it’s excess tissue covering up your teeth, then a simple gum lift might be a great treatment choice for you. If your teeth are the right size but your upper lip is too mobile (it lifts up too high when you smile), then Botox may be a better treatment choice. When properly placed, Botox limits how high your upper lip can lift when you smile without changing the shape or beauty of your lips and smile.
Dr. Estep has a lot of experience fixing gummy smiles. She recommends you consult with a knowledgeable and experienced cosmetic dentist before undergoing these procedures. In the right hands, gum lift treatment can give you the ideal smile you’ve always wanted.
