Have you ever glanced at a photo of yourself and seen your gum tissue overshadow your smile? Were you of the opinion that your upper teeth appeared shorter compared to the amount of gingival tissue that was displayed when you smiled?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, you most likely have a condition that’s commonly called “gummy smile” or excessive gingival display. It’s a condition that occurs in a significant number of people, so rest assured you’re not alone. Fortunately, a gummy smile can be successfully treated and improved with Botox.
A gummy smile is what happens when you smile big and you see a lot of gums. Botox can help this by relaxing the muscle around the mouth so when you smile you show more teeth than gums. There are other factors that go into play with this, but in regards to Botox, this is how it can help. Mindi, our front desk girl, had a gummy smile and we did a combination of Botox and Filler to improve the look of her smile.
What Makes Your Smile Look Gummy?
There are a variety of causes for excessive gingival tissue. One of the common causes is periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, where bacteria attack the gums and cause them to become inflamed and larger than normal. If you’re seeking cosmetic treatment for a gummy smile, your practitioner will first rule out any bacteria-related issues before proceeding with a cosmetic procedure.
In other cases, a person may have a gum line that never receded properly when their teeth first started to develop as toddlers. In such a case there is excess gum covering the teeth that need to be removed. A simple x-ray can show the full anatomical tooth and the layer that needs to be trimmed.
There are also instances where the teeth are well situated in the mouth about the gums but there’s too much gum showing between the teeth and the lip line. This is a complex form of a gummy smile that requires advanced examination to determine how much of the gum can be safely removed without weakening the underlying structure.
In all three cases above Botox treatment has been proven to be highly effective in reducing the height of the gingival tissue and restoring a healthy smile.
If you’re looking for a really quick treatment option that’s super effective and almost painless then Botox is your best bet.
How Botox Treats a Gummy Smile
A Botox treatment basically involves injecting the botulinum toxin into the muscles of the upper lip to inhibit it from moving too high up. It works by relaxing the muscles around the mouth so when you smile you show more teeth than gums. There are other contributing factors but this is how it mainly works. Mindi, our front-desk girl had a gummy smile and we did a combination of Botox and filler to improve her smile.
Depending on the extent of your gummy smile the procedure can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes, and recovery is more or less immediate.
Please note, for the best results only visit highly trained and experienced Botox practitioners. These professionals know how to administer the procedure correctly i.e. they know where to inject, the best technique to employ, and the right quantities to use to deliver excellent results.