Your smile says so much about you. When your heart is full, a smile accompanies it. When you are content, along comes a smile. When you are with those you love simply enjoying the day, here comes your smile. But what happens when you are not happy with your smile? For many people suffering from what is known as a “gummy smile” the act of smiling brings no joy. A gummy smile is much what it sounds like, a smile that shows an excessive amount of the gums. While there is subjectivity involved in diagnosing a gummy smile, it is a true diagnosis that can be altered with dental surgery and other alternative methods.
For the average individual, a smile that exposes around 3mm of gum is enough for them to consider themselves having a gummy smile. Dentist pinpoint the diagnosis around 2mm while general practitioners would say someone with a smile exposing up to 4mm of gum has one. The bottom line is that because this is such a personal issue, if you feel your smile is gummy and it is affecting your life, then it is.
There are several reasons for a gummy smile. According to Spear.com, a leading continuing education site for dental professionals, there are seven different causes. An upper lip that is too short can lead to a gummy smile. Excessive overbite and teeth that do not make a full exit from the bone, non-recessive gums with aging, and a lip that moves around too much are just a few of the reasons. For a full list of causes, see here. Whatever the cause may be, if you are bothered by your gummy smile there are many options for you to choose from.
First and foremost, you can consider dental surgery. Braces, orthodontia surgery, and periodontal surgery are all options for you depending on the root cause of your gummy smile. It is also possible to have surgery on your lips to reposition them. These are all potential solutions but can be risky. What if we told you there could be an easier way to achieve great results with minimal invasion? Botox can be used to treat gummy smiles! Although it is generally associated with fighting wrinkles and fine lines, it can often be used to improve the look of your mouth. This simple outpatient procedure takes mere minutes and will have you smiling in no time. Botox has many uses and it can be a great solution to fixing your smile.
Fountain of You, serving all of Brevard County, FL, is proud to offer Botox services to meet all of your needs. We want to see you smiling with delight at your new look after your treatment for a gummy smile. If you are in Melbourne, Viera, or on the Space Coast, contact us today for more information.
