Gummy smile

A gum­my smi­le is a smi­le in which a noti­ceable amount of gum shows abo­ve the upper front tee­th. It is medi­cal­ly harm­less, but many peo­p­le find it aes­the­ti­cal­ly bothersome.

Cau­ses

A com­mon cau­se is an over­ac­ti­ve lip ele­va­tor mus­cle that pulls the upper lip high when smi­ling. Other cau­ses include a short upper lip, ver­ti­cal over­growth of the upper jaw or tee­th that remain part­ly cover­ed by gum. Seve­ral fac­tors often combine.

Sym­ptoms

When smi­ling, a broad band of gum appears abo­ve the upper tee­th, some­ti­mes only at the sides, some­ti­mes across the who­le width. The tee­th may look shorter as a result. Some peo­p­le deli­bera­te­ly smi­le with their mouth closed.

Tre­at­ment

If the cau­se is mus­cu­lar, botu­li­num toxin is injec­ted at small points bes­i­de the nose, and the effect lasts a few months. A short upper lip can be leng­the­ned with a lip lift. If the jaw or tee­th are respon­si­ble, den­tal or maxillofacial pro­ce­du­res may be con­side­red. A tho­rough assess­ment deter­mi­nes the right approach.

Matching tre­at­ment at Swiss Der­ma Cli­nic: Gum­my Smi­le Treatment