Did you know that just a few millimeters of gum exposed while smiling can greatly affect the beauty of your face? A gummy smile or "Gummy Smile" is a problem that sometimes remains hidden from the eyes of others, but not from the eyes of its owner! A phenomenon that is not only not cosmetic, but can also indicate a structural or functional problem or problems in the mouth and face. All these reasons made us decide to dedicate a separate article from Dr. Benianian's dental website to this topic. What is a gummy smile, why does it occur and how should we treat it? What is the meaning of gummy smile? Gummy smile is a condition in which a person's gums are too visible when smiling and laughing. While the more appropriate shape of the smile is such that the upper lip is placed exactly above the upper teeth. In some dental articles, the amount of visible gum when smiling is defined as up to 2 mm for men and up to 4 mm for women. Of course, this issue is completely relative and depends on the anatomy of the person's face. In the gummy smile, this height reaches more than 7 mm, which is very different from the normal state of the smile. > The manifestation of a gummy smile can be attributed to disproportionate vertical growth of the maxilla. This condition leads to an augmented lower facial height, causing the maxilla to assume a somewhat inferior posture, potentially resulting in a tilted occlusal plane. > > Gummy smile can be attributed to the disproportionate vertical growth of the upper jaw. This situation leads to an increase in the height of the lower face and causes the upper jaw to be in a relatively lower position, which can lead to tilting of the occlusal plate. The main causes of gummy smile Various factors play a role in creating this condition. But the most common ones include the following: ### Disproportionate dimensions of the tooth crown The crown of the tooth is the visible part of the tooth that protrudes from the gum. If the crown of the person's teeth is shorter than normal, the person will have a gummy smile. The shortness of the crown of the teeth also happens for reasons such as the immature growth of the teeth or the transfer of hereditary genes to the children. In such a situation, surgery to increase the length of the tooth crown will help to solve the problem. ### Disproportionate height and upper lip hyperactivity The low height of the upper lip is one of the other reasons that lead to a gummy smile. Additionally, if you have lips that move significantly when you laugh or smile, you may also be suffering from a gummy smile problem. ### Hyperplasia (increase in volume) of gums This condition occurs when the gums become inflamed due to reasons such as bacteria, medication, or systemic conditions such as leukemia or diabetes, and cause a certain bulge in the face when smiling. ### Excessive growth of the upper jaw bone If the upper jaw is too long, the gum becomes more visible when smiling and changes the person's face. ### Other reasons for a gummy smile - Suffering from some genetic complications - Inappropriate habits such as finger sucking in childhood - Suffering from gum diseases - Previous surgeries Is a gummy smile really bad? **First of all, let us emphasize that beauty is a personal measure.** In fact, a gummy smile is not necessarily a medical condition or disease. Many people are completely healthy despite the visible gums when they smile, and the normal functioning of their teeth and jaws is not a problem. The main issue in between is an individual's perception of beauty and self-confidence. So, if you have a gummy smile and are satisfied with your face and appearance, there is no need to worry. ### When does a gummy smile need to be checked? If your gummy smile is accompanied by some symptoms, it is better to visit a cosmetic dentistry clinic to check the condition of your gums. The signs in question are overgrowth of gums (gingival hyperplasia), short upper lip, jaw problems and improper position of teeth. In this situation, a specialized examination of the gums and face by a dentist or a gum surgery specialist is recommended to determine the exact cause and, if necessary, choose appropriate treatment methods. ### Is it necessary to treat gummy smile? If a gummy smile has caused you to be dissatisfied with your appearance or reduce your self-confidence, it is not a bad idea to think about solving this problem. Especially because the treatments for this condition are not so difficult (we will explain the solutions for treating a gummy smile) Benefits of gum smile correction - Increase beauty - Increasing self-confidence - Improving oral and dental health - Fixing speech problems - Increasing the fit of the smile with the face - Permanent results - Increasing life satisfaction Candidates for gum smile treatment and correction Although many people with gummy smile problems would like to get rid of this problem, not everyone may be a good candidate for gummy smile treatment. Diagnosing this issue is the responsibility of a periodontist dentist. But in general, people with the following conditions are eligible to correct their gummy smile: - Having healthy physical and general conditions - Health condition of the mouth and teeth - Not having a specific disease - Not taking special medicine Which specialist should we refer to for the treatment of a gummy smile? Choosing the right specialist to treat a gummy smile depends on various factors such as the cause of the gummy smile, the severity of the problem, the health of the person's mouth and teeth, and the level of his expectations from the treatment. But in general, an orthodontist, a periodontist, and an oral and maxillofacial surgeon are the best dentists you can go to to treat your problem. **Read more:** Maxillofacial surgery Gummy smile correction and treatment methods The method of gum smile treatment will be suggested to the person by a specialist dentist and according to the reason for this problem. For example, if gum disease is the reason for this, dental orthodontics will not have any effect on its treatment. For this reason, accurately identifying the cause and visiting an experienced and skilled dentist will help you to get the best possible treatment for your gummy smile problem. In the following, we will mention the main solutions for treating and correcting a gummy smile. ### Orthodontic treatment If your gummy smile is due to reasons such as jaw abnormalities or the improper location of canine teeth, it is better to seek help from dental orthodontics to fix it. Dental orthodontics, in addition to treating gummy smile problems, also helps to straighten and align your teeth. Of course, determining whether dental orthodontics is suitable for your type of gummy smile or not is an answer that will be given to you by your orthodontist after examining your situation. **Read more:** What is early orthodontics? ### veneer, veneer or laminate Dental cover, dental veneer, dental laminate and dental composite are all good solutions to solve this problem! Because they hide the ugly and short appearance of your teeth, and solve your problem quickly and easily. Of course, this method may be a bit expensive. But be sure that the double beauty of a method like laminate is worth paying more. You can get more information about the costs of these **cosmetic dentistry** processes in the articles **Dental Laminate Cost** and **Tooth Veneer Tariff**. ### Increasing the length of the tooth crown Increasing the length of the tooth crown is one of the treatment methods for gum smile problems, which is performed by a periodontist. In this method, excess gum tissue is removed from the tooth crown during an outpatient surgery. This method is usually suggested to people whose upper and lower jaws are not aligned with each other. Today, dentists can perform a minimally invasive surgery with the least amount of bleeding and pain for you with the help of new and modern dental crown length surgery techniques (such as the use of lasers and gum contouring). Before starting the dental crown lengthening surgery, the dentist takes a scan of different areas of the person's jaw so that he can form an almost perfect balance between both jaws after conducting the necessary investigations. ### Eliminating a gummy smile with Botox The last way to treat a gummy smile is to use botox and lip gel. This injection (which is usually done by a cosmetic doctor) prevents the gums from being seen when smiling by stimulating the lip muscle and paralyzing it. The amount of botox and gel needed to do this depends on the diagnosis of the beautician. But usually one to two Botox units are enough for this. It may be necessary to inject part of the botox into the lips and another part into the nose. Gel injection is the fastest way to treat the gummy smile problem, and it costs less than other methods to do it once. But it does not have a permanent result and you have to repeat this process again between 6 and 9 months after the injection. In addition, repeating this process over time will impose multiple costs on you. ### Upper jaw surgery, gummy smile Upper jaw surgery to treat a gummy smile, which is also called orthognathic surgery, is a special type of gum surgery that aims to raise the location of the upper jaw to reduce the amount of gum visible when smiling. In this procedure, the surgeon cuts the upper jaw bone and moves it upwards, then fixes it in its new position with screws and plates. Nazi founders: > A very important point that you should pay attention to before choosing this method is that gum smile surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia and requires a period of recovery and post-operative care. Therefore, it is considered one of the most difficult ways to treat a gummy smile. How to choose the best treatment for your gummy smile? It may seem difficult to choose the best solution for the treatment of gummy smile. But don't forget that the diagnosis of the most appropriate way to treat this problem will be the responsibility of your dentist. Because he has the most knowledge about your situation and can introduce you to the best solution by thoroughly examining your teeth and the cause of gummy smile. However, checking out the table below will help you compare and contrast the best gummy smile treatments. Gummy smile treatment at Dr. Benianian's dental clinic Dr. Benianian's specialized dental treatment and beauty clinic is one of the best and most reliable clinics in Tehran, which uses the most advanced dental equipment in the world to treat people's gummy smiles. At Dr. Benianian's dental clinic, after carefully examining the condition of your gummy smile, we will choose the best treatment solution for you and make your smile look more beautiful. Our specialists, relying on years of skill and the most advanced technologies in the world, will change your smile in the most beautiful way possible. In addition, it is possible to pay dental expenses in installments for the clients of this clinic. You can be sure of the quality of work and the expertise of the dentists of Dr. Benianian Dental Complex, to make an appointment, call 02188539720 or visit our clinic address, located in Tehran, Argentina Square, Ahmed Qasir St. (Bucharest), West 6th St., No. 22, Unit 7.