Gummy Smile Treatment at Olean Dental Studio
Hello, everyone. I'm Dr. De La Paz here at Olean Dental Studio, and today we're going to be talking about gummy smiles. There are a lot of questions that we get from patients, and I want to be able to have the opportunity to respond to some of those today. If you have any more questions after today's video, you can call our office and have a consultation. We can talk more about it with you. Let's get started.
What's a gummy smile and what causes it?
A gummy smile is when you smile, you're showing a little too much of your gum. Honestly, what causes it? It's based on your anatomy. It depends on how your muscles and jaw bones developed when you were growing and how much of your teeth are showing. There is nothing certain we can tell about what causes it.
At what point is the smile considered too gummy?
It's mostly based on how you look at yourself. If you're showing about 3 to 4 millimeters of gum when you smile, that is considered a gummy smile. But if you feel comfortable with that, then it's all good.
Should I be concerned? Is this going to affect my dental health, or is it just an appearance thing?
The answer is it's just your appearance. Most of the time, a gummy smile is not really related to any problems with your gums. It's not related to any dental issues. It's just how you were formed and is more related to your appearance.
What are the most common treatment options to treat this gummy smile?
There are two treatments. One is a more temporary type of treatment: Botox. We inject a couple of units of Botox to relax the muscles on the upper lip. That way, when you're smiling, your lip doesn't go up as much, and you don't show as much gum. This option is temporary because Botox wears off in about 3 to 4 months, so you would have to get it done again if you really want to use that type of treatment. If you want something more permanent, then you may require surgery. You would probably need reshaping of your gums or maybe reshaping of your gums and the bone underneath. It depends on a case-by-case scenario, depending on the severity and the results you want to achieve. So, either we do Botox or surgery.
Are there any risks associated with these types of treatments?
Not generally, but there could be. Let's say you're doing Botox; even though it's temporary, if one side of a muscle relaxes more than the other side, your lip can look a little weird, but that's something temporary that can usually be fixed with no issues. With the surgical aspect, if you're someone who already has other conditions in your body that could predispose you to bleeding or soreness, maybe that's something you would struggle with. However, most of the time, on healthy patients, either of the two treatments works just fine. Even if you get surgery, the discomfort is minor following the procedure.
Would my gummy smile get even worse as I age?
No, actually, the opposite happens. As we age, our lips come down a little bit farther. I tend to see patients who had a very noticeable gummy smile when they were young, and then as they get older, it decreases. But it's not always the case; you have to monitor it. Generally speaking, it shouldn't get worse as you age.
How do I help, as a provider, my patients to decide which option is best for them?
For me, it's crucial to provide education. When I sit down with my patients and they have that concern, I make sure to address every aspect of their concerns and explain and educate them to the best of my abilities. This way, they can have information from both sides, either the temporary solution with Botox or the permanent solution with surgery, and then they can decide what they think will fit best with what they're looking for. I will help them whichever route they decide to go with.
All right, guys, I feel like today's video is pretty comprehensive in responding to the most common questions about gummy smiles. If you feel like I didn't answer a question that's on your mind, feel free to call our office at (941) 269-1332, and we'll be very glad to help you and answer all of those questions for you.