What is a Gummy Smile?
Gardena, CA
Gummy smile is a facial alteration which is defined by excessive exposure of the gingival tissue, or gums, when smiling. Having excessive gum showing can be unattractive and make you feel self-conscious and hurt your self-esteem. Approximately 10% of people from age 20-30 have a gummy smile.
The lip lowering surgery by Dr. Dang can fix your gummy smile. It is a process where incisions are made and the tissue lowered to extend the upper lip down in order to cover your gums when you smile. This procedure is done under local and requires short recovery time. In some cases, it also involves removing excess gum tissue or lengthening the crowns to show more teeth.
If you are conscious about and want to improve your gummy smile, feel free to make an appointment with us for a consultation.
Causes of a Gummy Smile
• Excess of gingival tissue. In these cases, the teeth may have a normal length, but appear shorter due to excess gum. This can be cause by genetic, medications, or poor hygiene.
• Hyperactivity of the muscle that controls the upper lip is another known cause of a gummy smile. In these cases, the lip rises more than normal when smiling (high lip line), creating a gingival smile effect.
• An abnormal development of the maxilla bone, which pushes down the gingival tissue