Gummy Smile

How to treat excessive gingival display

WHAT IS GUMMY SMILE?

Do you feel embarrassed to smile because your beautiful teeth are overpowered by gum tissue? If you responded yes to this question, you may suffer from a condition called excessive gingival display, or “gummy smile.” Gummy smile can effect the aesthetics of your smile and can damage your confidence to show your pearly whites in a strong smile.

CAUSES OF GUMMY SMILE

There are various causes of excessive gingival display. Every patient is different and every case is unique, however there are a few common causes that can lead to this condition.

The first deals with the muscle which controls the movement of your upper lip. If this muscle is hyperactive, it can cause your lip to rise up higher. This rise in your lip leads to more exposure of your gum tissue.

Gum tissue that is in your upper jaw can also cause gummy smile. Often this tissue can cause abnormal eruption of teeth. This causes your teeth to look short and disproportionate even though in reality they are the correct size.

Another cause of gummy smile includes incorrect development of the jawbone. If the jawbone is protruding the gum tissue will as well, causing your smile to contain excessive gingival display.

TREATMENT

The good news is that there is treatment to get your smile back on track. The most important step in treatment is to first determine the cause of your gummy smile. This will be done by your dentist, who can then guide you through treatment options.