Gingival display is a common aesthetic concern among people of all ages. When you have this condition, more than 4mm of your gum tissues will be exposed. In most cases, gingival display (a gummy smile) results from factors such as genetics, medication, poor oral hygiene, or hormonal imbalances.
Overbite and jaw issues can also cause a gummy smile, which can affect your ability to maintain good oral hygiene. This increases the chances of bad breath, gum disease, and inflamed or sore gums. Luckily, some dental procedures can help to treat a gummy smile. Depending on the cause of excess gingival display, a dentist may recommend options such as:
Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure that involves removing excess gum tissues. This permanent solution aims to lengthen the tooth crown. In addition to treating a gummy smile, crown lengthening helps to improve things such as chewing, eating, and speaking. It also prevents cavities since it makes teeth cleaning easier.
Lip Repositioning
The lip plays a vital role in your smile. For some people, the upper lip pulls up too high above the teeth, exposing a lot of gum tissues. The upper teeth and lip consist of muscles and tissues that hold the lip in position. Lip repositioning aims to remove some of these connective tissues to prevent the muscles from raising the lip too high. This helps to cover more of the gums when you smile.
Braces
Braces are also common in treating minor cases of a gummy smile. When excessive gingival display results from minor jaw issues, improper bites, or abnormal tooth eruption, a dentist may suggest dental braces. These appliances move the teeth into their correct location so that the upper and lower jaws can balance, improving the appearance of the gums. Contact us, and our oral surgeons will determine the best treatment option for excess gingival display based on your oral needs.
Dentist Bend, OR • Dental Blog • Aesthetic Dentistry of Bend Dr. Thomas E. Wold has created this blog to help educate the community. Like a Post? Please use the "share it" button to post to Facebook, Twitter, or Google+. Aesthetic Dentistry of Bend, LLC - Thomas E. Wold DMD, 124 NW Hawthorne Ave. Bend, OR. 97703 ~ (541) 389-0261 ~ wolddmd.com ~ 9/21/2023 ~ Associated Words: dentist Bend OR ~
Gingival display is a common aesthetic concern among people of all ages. When you have this condition, more than 4mm of your gum tissues will be exposed. In most cases, gingival display (a gummy smile) results from factors such as genetics, medication, poor oral hygiene, or hormonal imbalances.