The gums showing prominently when smiling is not a medical problem; it is a matter of aesthetic perception. If the person is not bothered by it, no intervention is needed. However, if there is discomfort, the cause must first be identified in order to determine the right approach. The most common mistake made in gummy smile treatment is applying a single standard method to everyone. As DijiDent Oral and Dental Health Polyclinic, in Türkiye we plan treatment in these cases after diagnosis.
First, the Right Question: What Is It Caused By?
Very different causes can lie behind the same appearance, and each has a separate solution.
- The gum covering the tooth: The teeth are actually of normal length; the gum has not receded to the level it should have during eruption.
- Hypermobile upper lip: The lip rises more than expected when smiling.
- Vertical development of the upper jaw: Conditions related to the skeletal structure.
- Vertical position of the teeth: The front teeth being positioned lower than normal.
- Gum overgrowth: Tissue increase due to certain medications or chronic inflammation.
- Tooth wear: The proportion changing as a result of the teeth becoming shorter.
To make this distinction, clinical examination, photo and video records and, when necessary, radiological evaluation are used together. Lip movement can only be understood with a moving recording, and the true length of the tooth by evaluating the margin beneath the gum.
Approach Options
Adjusting the Gum Level
If part of the tooth is covered by the gum, adjustment of the tissue level comes into consideration. In this procedure, where the gum margin will be brought to is not determined arbitrarily; the underlying bone level and the tissue relationship called the biological width are taken into account. In applications done without considering this criterion, the tendency of the tissue to return to its former position may increase.
Orthodontic Approaches
In cases caused by the vertical position of the teeth, orthodontically repositioning the teeth upward can be considered. This is a longer-term method, but one that preserves tissue.
Restorative Solutions
In teeth shortened due to wear, restoring the lost length with a restoration can correct the proportion. In these cases, the real problem is not in the gum but in the tooth length.
Approaches Targeting Lip Movement
In cases caused by a hypermobile lip, methods aimed at limiting lip movement may come into consideration. The effect and permanence of these applications vary by method; suitability is determined by the dentist’s evaluation.
Surgical Support
In pronounced cases of skeletal origin, the option of jaw surgery planned together with orthodontics can be evaluated. This requires a comprehensive treatment process and comes into consideration only in selected cases.
What Is the Measurement Based On?
In the evaluation, the amount of gum visible when smiling is measured. A small amount of visibility is considered natural in most people and does not constitute an aesthetic problem. As the amount increases, perception changes. However, here the person’s own perception is more decisive than a numerical threshold. Of two patients with the same measurement, one may feel no discomfort at all while the other may be seeking treatment; for this reason, the decision is made by evaluating your expectations together with the measurement.
Receiving Different Recommendations from Different Clinics
This is a concern our patients frequently express. There is actually a reasonable explanation: when the cause is not correctly identified, each clinic may recommend the solution it is used to. For this reason, it is your right to ask which cause the recommended treatment is based on. “Your gum has covered your tooth” and “your lip is too mobile” are two completely different diagnoses and require different treatments.
Healing and Permanence
The maturation of the tissue after gum adjustment takes time; the final appearance is not evaluated immediately. Permanence depends on the cause and the method applied. In some approaches, the effect may decrease over time and repetition may be needed; this possibility should be explained to you from the start.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this case, an evaluation is made by contacting your relevant physician; do not stop your medication on your own decision.
No. It is a matter of aesthetic perception; if it is not found bothersome, no treatment is needed.
The procedures are performed under local anesthesia. Sensitivity for a few days afterwards is normal.
It depends on the cause and the method. In some cases, the tissue may tend to return.
In some cases, yes; if combined treatment is needed, the process takes longer.
In many cases, yes. Crowns come into consideration only when a change in tooth form is also needed.
The right treatment begins with the right cause.
If you are bothered by your gums showing in your smile, let us evaluate the cause in detail. Contact us to book an appointment; let us discuss the options together at DijiDent Oral and Dental Health Polyclinic.
This content is for general information purposes; the treatment option and results vary from person to person. The decision is made with a dentist’s examination.
