The concept of a gummy smile is very subjective because it differs from one person to the other, due to their tastes and perceptions. In other words, what may seem like an attractive feature to some, others can only see it as a defect that ruins the aesthetics and beauty of a smile, however, this alteration is generally more aesthetic in women, since if the gummy smile is not so marked it can bring a little sweetness to the female face.
Despite the above, dentists have indicated general criteria to diagnose a person with a gummy smile. Then, patients with this disorder are considered to be those men who when they smile more than 2 millimeters of gum can be seen, while in women it is considered between three and four millimeters of gum or more.
If you think you suffer from this alteration it is important that you consult a specialist, meanwhile, in the following FastlyHealarticle we offer you all the information about the gummy smile: causes and solutions .
Table of Contents
Types of gummy smile
Specialists have determined various types of gummy smile , which are divided into:
- Anterior gummy smile : the alteration in which you can see more of the gum that is located above the teeth known as incisors when a person smiles is known by this name.
- Posterior gummy smile : This type of gummy smile stands out because the gum that is shown when a person laughs is the one that is from the first premolar towards the back.
- Mixed gummy smile : As the name implies, people who are diagnosed with mixed gummy smile are those who show the gingiva in the back and front.
Although there are different treatments for this alteration, their priority is not only that the teeth are aligned, but also to find a relationship as perfect as possible between the lips, the gum and the entire face of the patient.
Causes of the gummy smile
There are several factors that cause a gummy smile , among them are:
- Long jaw : this happens when the upper jaw has excessive vertical growth, either congenital or due to an alteration during the development of bone formation, so that people with this characteristic expose a large part of the upper gum when smiling .
- Altered passive eruption : this factor occurs due to a poorly treated dental eruption that causes different oral anomalies, which can result in the dental crown of some piece being covered by the gum or it could happen that one or more teeth of the upper arch appear very short.
- Low dental position : the gummy smile can also be caused by a low dental position. This occurs when the upper incisors suffer an over-eruption caused by the lack of contact with the lower teeth, for example, by the bad habit of constantly sucking the finger.
- Short upper lip : Another aspect of a gummy smile can be caused by having a short upper lip, congenital in origin and often related to a short lip frenulum . As the name implies, the upper lip is too short and causes the gums to show too much when smiling.
Gummy smile: solutions
Various solutions have been developed to treat gum exposure when smiling, which are closely related to the cause of the alteration. This is why the treatment will depend exclusively on each particular case, so it is extremely important to consult a professional:
- If the cause is the maxillary vertical excess, the orthognathic surgical operation is the most recommended solution due to its excellent results. The purpose of this surgery is to modify the bones of the upper jaw and mandible to place them in the correct position.
- Treatment of the gummy smile due to an altered passive eruption has as its main option gingivectomy. In this solution, the main goal is to contour the shape of the gum and the alveolar bone, which makes the covered part of the tooth visible.
- In the event that the cause is low dental position , a simple orthodontic treatment is required so that the teeth are repositioned in the correct position and, in this way, eliminate the visual alteration in the smile.
- Finally, there are several possible solutions to treat the gummy smile caused by having a short upper lip . One of them is to undergo surgery to lengthen the upper lip, but you can also opt for non-surgical treatments such as the application of botox or botulinum toxin infiltrations in the upper lip.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Gummy smile: causes and solutions , we recommend that you enter our Teeth and mouth category .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.