I Don’t Like My Gummy Smile: Can You Help?

A gummy smile 一 a smile that reveals too much of your gum line 一 can cause insecurities or embarrassment. Showing too much gum tissue is a common cosmetic complaint, which is why Dr. David Blaustein often incorporates gum contouring into smile rejuvenation plans. 

Here’s what you need to know about eliminating a gummy smile, courtesy of the team here at Chelsea Dental Aesthetics in New York City.

Causes of a gummy smile

While it’s normal to show up to 2 millimeters of your gums when smiling, anything more is considered an excessive gingival display or, more commonly, a gummy smile.

Gummy smiles can result from:

• Genetics
• Having a short upper lip length
• Hypermobile upper lip
• Altered passive eruption (a common cause of teeth that look short and square)
• Gingival hyperplasia (gum overgrowth)
• Malocclusion (bad bite) 

Gummy smiles can also develop as a side effect of certain types of blood pressure medication called calcium channel blockers. These may cause gum swelling and gingival overgrowth.

How to get rid of a gummy smile

Can you get rid of your gummy smile? The answer is yes. Here at Chelsea Dental Aesthetics, we offer gum contouring, a cosmetic treatment that relies on lasers and other specialized tools to remove excess gum tissue.

What to expect from laser gum contouring

Laser gum contouring is performed right here in our Chelsea office. Before your treatment, Dr. Blaustein reviews all recovery protocols 一 such as eating soft food for a few days afterward. 

You remain comfortable during your laser gum contouring treatment, thanks to a local anesthetic. Once you’re comfortably numb, we use gentle lasers to precisely remove excess gum tissue. We contour the bone as well, so the gums won’t grow back over your teeth. 

All of this is done without scalpels or sutures. Laser gum contouring enhances the appearance of your smile, clears away unwanted tissue, corrects the appearance of “too small” teeth, and boosts your self-confidence. 

After your treatment, you don’t need to take time off of work, but your gums may be swollen for about a week. Be sure to follow your post-treatment hygiene plan carefully and stick with a soft food diet for the first few days. 

Exploring other options for gummy smiles

In addition to gum reshaping, you may find other options that are better suited to enhance the appearance of your smile. If a bad bite, for instance, contributes to excessive gingival display, orthodontic treatment may be part of your treatment plan. 

Invisalign® is a discreet way to correct a bad bite, straighten your teeth, and improve the appearance of your gum line.

If your gummy smile is caused by excessive inflammation and swelling related to gum disease, you may benefit from scaling and root planing. 

Sometimes called a deep clean, this procedure removes plaque and tartar from below your gum line, cleans out periodontal pockets, and smooths your roots. This improves the health of your gums and helps mitigate the swelling associated with gum disease.

Depending on the cause of your gummy smile, Dr. Blaustein reviews all of your options and recommends the treatments best suited to your oral health needs.

When you’re ready to explore your options to correct your gummy smile, call our Manhattan office at 917-633-7312 to schedule a consultation. You can also request an appointment online.