
Gums follow this movement, increasing the perceived ratio of gum to tooth, creating a gummy smile. The main reason this happens that is treatable by Botox is when the muscle that elevates the upper lip is. Sometimes the smile shows an unattractive amount of gum tissue, while other times it reveals abnormally small teeth. Gummy smiles affect about 15 of all Americans, especially women and younger people. Gummy Smile Surgery A gummy smile surgery, formally known as a gingivectomy, is an outpatient surgical procedure that addresses the appearance and functionality of the tooth/gum balance. Additionally, a gummy smile has a noticeable disproportionate gum-to-tooth ratio.

A gummy smile, however, exposes a larger than average amount of gum tissue. The natural size and shape of teeth and the surrounding gum tissue are hereditary.Īs our teeth wear out through use, they become shorter our body responds by moving teeth downwards (upper jaw) and upwards (lower jaw) in a process called compensatory eruption. A gummy smile happens to certain people when their upper lip lifts above their teeth too much, exposing the upper gums and resulting in what can be perceived as an unattractive ‘gummy’ smile. What is a gummy smile In a healthy smile, the upper lip sits just above the top of the teeth. Though we each have our own definition of what. The maxilla (the section of upper jaw that holds teeth) can sometimes be genetically predisposed to grow in a way that protrudes, creating the effect of a gummy smile. Some people feel self-conscious about smiling because they believe their gums are too prominent. A short upper lip can also have this revealing effect that results in a smile overtaken by gum tissue. On top of that, the majority will have self-esteem issues due to this condition. Some people usually feel less pretty due to this condition.

Your upper lip plays a big part in the appearance of your smile the average lip moves 6-8 millimeters when smiling, so when hyper-mobility occurs, the lip may rise too much, revealing more gum tissue. A gummy smile, or in dentistry terms excessive gingival display, is basically when you end up showing too much gum when you smile. A gummy smile, also known as excessive gingival display, is the term used to describe a smile that reveals a disproportionate amount of gum above the upper. A gummy smile can be caused by various things from problems with the teeth and lips, to the gum tissue itself.Ībnormal eruption of adult teeth as they move down can leave them looking shorter than they are, which disrupts the teeth to gum ratio (normal crown length for an adult tooth is around 10 millimeters), even though the tooth is the right size or shape.
