In medical parlance, a “gummy smile” is used to describe a smile in which too much gum tissue is visible above the upper teeth.
People typically mention how self-conscious they feel or how their grin seems less attractive while discussing a gummy smile.
The good news is that a gummy grin can be improved.
The sort of therapy depends on what is causing the excessive gingival display, but once we know what it is, we can go to work on providing you with a beautiful, healthy smile.
What is a Gummy Smile?
You might be shocked to learn that a gummy smile is largely determined by perception and lacks a clear definition.
A gummy smile is probably easy to spot.
In fact, surveys were conducted to find out what people thought was excessive gingival display.
Subjects tended to find smiles attractive when there were two millimetres or less of exposed gum tissue.
The smile was considered gummy at three millimetres or greater.
Interestingly, women experience the disease more frequently than males do.
According to some specialists, 7% of males and 14% of women, respectively, have an excessive gingival show.
What Causes a Gummy Smile?
A gummy smile can have many causes, but the following are the most typical ones:
- Teeth that have an uneven eruption and are still partially covered by gum tissue, causing them to appear short.
- tiny teeth compared to the gums because of heredity or wear
- an excessively thin upper lip
- A hyperactive upper lip that is typical in length while the face is resting but raises too high when smiling, revealing a lot of gum tissue
- Gums that are lengthy or swollen, known as gingival hypertrophy
- A vertical maxillary excess, an overgrowth of the top jaw that causes protruding gums
Gummy Smile Treatment
The best way to correct a gummy smile depends on what’s causing it, as we have explained. Options consist of:
If the underlying cause of excessive gingival display is minor and related to the jaws or teeth, it may occasionally be treated with orthodontics alone to realign the bite and reduce the prominence of the gums.
Temporary anchoring devices (TADS), which are tiny titanium implants anchored into the bone above the teeth and used in conjunction with Invisalign Singapore or braces, can be employed to offer a stable, immovable point from which to apply force.
They resemble headgear that is inserted into the mouth.
Although it may sound frightening, don’t be alarmed; as the name suggests, they are just temporary, and the treatment is relatively straightforward.
- If the teeth are too short due to wear or genetics, veneers or crowns can lengthen the teeth and enhance the tooth-to-gum ratio.
- The best treatment option for moderate to severe jaw protrusion is orthognathic surgery, or jaw surgery, in conjunction with orthodontic therapy. The upper jaw will be reshaped by an oral surgeon to the optimal position and size, after which it will be fixed with plates and screws. This procedure necessitates a hospital stay and is done under general anaesthesia.
- A gingivectomy can be done by a periodontist if there is too much gum tissue present. In this operation, the superfluous gum tissue is removed and reshaped to reveal more of the teeth and enhance the looks of your smile.
- Crown-lengthening surgery, which entails removing gum tissue and/or bone to expose more teeth and allow the gums to retract back to their proper place, is an option if the teeth have not fully erupted.
- If the excessive gingival show is caused by a short or hyperactive upper lip, lip repositioning surgery followed by orthodontic treatment may be an excellent alternative to jaw surgery.
