For many people a full smile with bright white teeth is not possible. A lot of teeth with small red gums are shown when they smile. It is presumed by them that they have short teeth or that their gums have grown over their teeth. In the perfect smile, the upper lip sits just above the top of the teeth. But for people with a high lip line, too much of their upper gum is revealed, creating Gummy Smile. The unflattering appearance of highly visible gums causes many people with a high lip line to avoid smiling or place their hand over their mouth when they smile or laugh.
But in such case short teeth is not a problem, the reason for gummy smile is usually too much gum tissue which needs to be removed, in order to have a beautiful smile and show full length of teeth. There is no need to be self conscious or to hide your emotions. Patients have a better option when they choose a lip lowering treatment. This brief, comfortable procedure offers permanent correction of a high lip line to create a more pleasing smile.
A Gummy Smile is more than a cosmetic problem. It can make a person self conscious and can be a cause to cover up their true emotions. Until recently, the only way to correct this problem was to undergo Orthognathic surgery to cut and reposition the front segment of the upper jaw. However, a lot of people are not willing to go through this treatment because of the complexity of the surgery, discomfort, hospitalization, and inherent complications. Also, this procedure requires the jaw to be wired and stabilized for an extended period and is very expensive, with prices generally ranging between $35,000 and $40,000.
However, there are other alternatives of this surgery, which are not that costly and discomforting. One of these procedures is the lip lowering treatment; it is a feasible and affordable option for the people with gummy smiles. It is a relatively simple approach to minimize the appearance of a high lip line by lowering or repositioning of the upper lip in conjunction with some minor periodontal cosmetic surgery. The outcome of lip lowering treatment is often very dramatic and rewarding for the patients.
Another treatment is Gingivectomy. Gingivectomies are performed when the amount of gum reduction necessary is minimal such as in mild gummy smiles. During a Gingivectomy, a minimal amount of gum tissue is removed with a dental laser or by a technique known as radiosurgery. The procedure is painless, requires no sutures, and the gum tissues usually heal within two weeks.
However, in the case of more advanced Gummy Smiles, extensive reduction of tissue is required. This is done by a procedure called crown lengthening. During this painless procedure, the gum tissues are contoured around each individual tooth. The tissue is lifted off the bone and placed in a desired new position. The tissues are sutured into place and allowed to heal for 7 – 10 days. After initial healing, the sutures are removed. The newly repositioned gums are allowed to heal for an additional 5 to 7 weeks before any final restorations can be placed. Following a crown lengthening procedure, further treatment with either porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns will be required to achieve a beautiful new smile. These final restorations can be completed in just two visits to the orthodontist.
After getting any of these treatments, the patients can have a perfect smile and can smile freely anytime they want to, without the need to cover their mouths while smiling.
