Gummy Smile

WHAT IS A GUMMY SMILE?

Dental professionals refer to gummy smiles as “excessive gingival displays,” where gingival is another word for anything that relates to the gums. Gingival tissue lines your mouth and surrounds your teeth to provide a tight seal.

Excessive gingival displays resulting from underlying conditions may need additional dental care before the gummy smile can be resolved. If your gummy smile is the result of abnormal tooth eruption or a jaw developmental problem, for example, you might also have an improper bite.

A gummy smile does not usually affect your ability to eat or talk, but it may have a negative effect on the appearance of your smile. If you are like many people with a gummy smile, you feel it is unattractive and are sometimes reluctant to smile at all.

Fortunately, there are a number of treatment options available to fix a gummy smile.

CAUSES OF A GUMMY SMILE

A high lip line is one of the most common causes of a gummy smile. Having a high lip line means your upper lip moves higher when you smile as compared with other people.

An average lip line shows only the teeth in your upper jaw and the bits of gum that extend upwards between your teeth. A high lip line, in comparison, shows your upper teeth and a substantial amount of gingival tissue.

THERE ARE OTHER CAUSES OF A GUMMY SMILE

* Problems occurring when permanent teeth erupt or come out through the gum tissue to fill the empty spot left behind by primary teeth, commonly known as “baby teeth.”

* The abnormal eruption of teeth causing excessive gum tissue to develop around the newly erupted teeth, making the teeth look short even though they are the proper length.

* The muscle that controls your upper lip may be hyperactive, which causes it to rise higher than normal when you smile.

* Improper growth and development of your upper jawbone can cause a gummy smile. An excessive bulge protruding from your upper jaw may push your gum tissue downward over your teeth.

HOW TO DETERMINE THE SMILE LINE?

Several factors determine the most visually appealing aesthetic zone, or smile line, for you. The aesthetic zone is the teeth that are showing when you smile.

The size and shape of your lips and your lips, your facial muscles and your gum tissue all contribute to your optimal smile line, which reveals as little gum tissue as possible.

For the most aesthetically appealing smile line possible, visible gum tissue should feature balanced, even contours that complement your upper lip.