Can you see more of your gums than your teeth whenever you are smiling? Then you may be dealing with excessive gingival display, commonly known as a gummy smile. While not a medical issue per se, a gummy smile can affect your confidence if you are bothered by the way your gums display when you smile or laugh. The good news is that there are solutions that can help you fix your excessive gingival display.
So, What Causes a Gummy Smile?
If more than four milliliters of gums become visible above your upper lip when you are smiling, then that's considered excessive gingival display. Several reasons can create a gummy smile. Some have to do with our genetics while others are a result of poor oral hygiene or dental habits.
1. Genetics
In most cases, a gummy smile is caused by genetics. Maybe your teeth are too small or maybe your jaw is too large or your upper lip is too short. Whatever the reason, rest assured that there are ways to make your smile less gummy. For example, if your teeth are too short, then you can undergo a procedure called crown lengthening. Your Denver dentist will trim back some of the gum tissue to expose more of your natural look and make your smile look more symmetrical.
2. Malocclusion
A malocclusion, also known as a bad bite, is another common reason for a gummy smile. Especially if you have an overbite, meaning that the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth more than they should, which can cause more gum to show when you are smiling.
3. Too Much Gum Tissue
Here's another cause that you can't really control but can lead to a gummy smile. It can happen when too much gum tissue grows when your permanent teeth are erupting, giving your smile a gummy appearance.
What You Can Do About Your Gummy Smile
As mentioned before, there are various ways that you can fix a gummy smile. Your dentist will examine you and find the best treatment based on what caused excessive gingival display in the first place.
- Orthodontics - If your gummy smile was caused by poor teeth alignment, then orthodontic treatment will help put your teeth and jaw into their proper position.
- Crown Lengthening - If your gummy smile has occurred because your teeth are too small, crown lengthening can elongate them and reduce the appearance of your gummy smile.
- Scaling and Root Planing - If your gummy smile is the result of inflamed gums, then your dentist will use a procedure called scaling and root planing to reach deep into the gum pocket and clean it effectively.
Are You Unsatisfied With Your Smile? We Can Help!
At Poulos & Somers in Denver, our practice offers a wide variety of treatments, including crown lengthening, that can help transform your smile and reduce its gummy appearance. Contact us now to book your appointment so that we can start working on improving your smile.
