Gummy smile

The causes vary

There are cases where the gums cover a lot of the teeth, making the teeth look short, cases where the upper lip rises a lot when smiling, and cases where the position of the upper jaw and teeth are affected. Two or more may work together.

There are individual differences in the degree to which gums are visible and satisfaction with them. The amount of exposure in the photo alone does not determine the need and method of treatment.

Treatment depends on the cause

If the cause is the relationship between the gums and bone covering the teeth, the crown length and periodontal tissue are evaluated. If the main cause is the position of the teeth or jaw or lip movement, treatment that only trims the gums may not solve the problem.

The scope, recovery, and possibility of recurrence of methods for each cause must be compared. Simply removing a lot of gum can lead to exposed tooth roots and periodontal tissue problems, so anatomical evaluation is important.

Relationship with veneers

Although veneers improve the color and shape of the teeth, it is not a treatment that changes the position of the lip or jawbone itself. Determine whether a tooth lengthening plan is appropriate or whether other treatments are needed first.