Are you uncomfortable by a visibly larger gum line when you smile? A gummy smile, clinically referred to as excessive gingival display, may cause some patients to seek treatment. While your smile is often still perfectly healthy, there’s nothing wrong with seeking treatment to show more of your teeth and less of your gums. Ridgetop Dental Group in Northern VA treats gummy smiles with laser dentistry to help patients achieve their cosmetic dentistry goals.
What Causes A Gummy Smile?
There are several reasons why you may have a gummy smile:
- Incorrect jaw bone alignment: The jaw bone may extend further than it should, causing the gums to look longer.
- Upper lip muscles: You may have overactive upper lip muscles that pull your lip up too high when smiling, showing more of your gums underneath.
- Abnormal tooth development: Teeth may not extend far enough beyond the gum line but are actually the normal length.
Treating and Reducing A Gummy Smile
There are a few different treatments for gummy smile depending on the root cause:
- Laser Gum Contouring: This procedure can effectively remove excess gum tissues using dental lasers. Patients can achieve their ideal smile with minimal bleeding, faster healing, and natural looking results.
- Crown Lengthening: This procedure requires the removal of gum tissue and bone to allow the gums to retract to the appropriate position and reveal more of the tooth structure. This treatment may be performed when the teeth are not fully erupted.
- Gum Lift: A gum lift, clinically called a gingivectomy, is a common cosmetic procedure used to reduce excess gum tissue. In this procedure, we use advanced dental lasers to gently remove excess gum tissue and reshape the gum line to create an aesthetically pleasing smile.
Northern VA Cosmetic Dentistry
The right treatment depends on an accurate diagnosis based on an individual evaluation of your smile. Schedule your appointment online or call our office to start restoring balance to your smile.
