What is a gummy smile? How to treat a gummy smile with safe and effective laser technology

What is a gummy smile?

Is a condition of smiling that exposes too much of the gum line, causing loss of aesthetics and unattractiveness. A standard smile is considered when the gum line is not exposed more than 3mm. According to statistics, about 14% of women and 7% of men have symptoms of excessive gum growth.

There are 4 levels of gummy smile including:

Mildest level: When smiling, >3mm of gum tissue is exposed, about 25% less than the length of the tooth.
Average level: When smiling, the gums show 25%, less than 50% of the tooth length.
Severity: When the gums are exposed more than 59% and compared to the length of the tooth will be less than 100%.
Very severe: When the entire gum tissue is exposed and is 100% more than the length of the tooth

Recognize the levels of gummy smile

Doctors divide gummy smile disease into 4 different levels from mild to severe:

Level 1: Mild gummy smile with gums showing less than 3mm and less than 25% of tooth length when smiling.
Level 2: Moderate gummy smile with more than 25% of the gums and less than 25% of the length of the teeth exposed when smiling
Level 3: Severe gummy smile with more than 50% and less than the entire length of the teeth exposed when smiling
Level 4: Very severe gummy smile with gums showing more than the entire length of the teeth when smiling.

Causes of gummy smile

There are many causes of gummy smile. Therefore, you must determine which case you are experiencing to find the appropriate solution.

Jawbone Overgrowth: Jawbone overgrowth causes the jawbone to push outward, resulting in exposed gums when smiling. This is often accompanied by protruding teeth.

Too short upper lip: A sign of a short upper lip is the inability to close the lips even when the mouth is still. This causes the gums to show when smiling.

Abnormal tooth growth: Teeth can appear shorter when they grow abnormally into the gums. When teeth are short, more gum tissue is exposed, causing gum recession.

Gingival hyperplasia: Gingival hyperplasia occurs when the gums become inflamed due to bacteria, medications, or underlying systemic diseases such as leukemia, HIV, or diabetes. Gingival hyperplasia must be completely cured before treating a gummy smile.

Common treatments for gummy smile

Non-surgical treatment of gum recession

If the gum exposure is mild, only about 1-2mm, the doctor will prescribe orthodontic braces. This will not only help to correct misaligned and messy teeth, but also shorten the distance from the lip to the tooth neck.

According to the reality at Domin Dental, the treatment time for gummy cases with orthodontics will range from 6-18 months. After this time, you will have aesthetic teeth with a standard smile line.

Cases of surgical treatment of gummy smile

Gummy smile >3mm is when the gums grow too much, causing the teeth to be short. At this point, you cannot fix it with orthodontics and must undergo surgery.

Gum contouring:

Gum contouring is a minor surgery, so it minimizes pain, has a short procedure time, and a quick recovery time of only 2-3 hours.

This method is quite modern, capable of restoring shape, removing excess gum tissue, thereby lengthening the tooth body, helping the gums and teeth to be more balanced and harmonious.

Jaw surgery:

In case of excessive growth of alveolar bone and gums. Domin Dental will apply Lefort surgery, this method is the doctor pre-cut the jaw, then move the jaw back inside, then up. Finally, it will be firmly fixed with titanium screws.

In addition, the posterior jaw will also be operated on to ensure facial symmetry, correct protruding jaws and exposed gums. The drawback of this method is that it is expensive and requires a longer recovery time (about a few weeks).

Effective treatment of gummy smile with Laser at Domin Dental

Treating gummy smile with laser is the most modern method currently applied at Domin Dental Clinic. By using a laser head with strong pulses to impact the gum area to remove excess, thereby effectively reducing the length and length of the gums.

The advantages of cosmetic gingivectomy using laser technology are precision, safety and fast healing. In addition, this method also brings many other outstanding advantages such as no pain, effective after 1 time, low infection rate…

How long does it take for gummy smile treatment to heal?

Healing time after gummy smile treatment can be divided into 2 cases:

In the case of simple gingivectomy, without intervention in the underlying bone area, the healing time is about 2 weeks with an average gingival tissue healing rate of 1mm/day.

In just 1-2 weeks you will have a healthy smile with almost no swelling or pain if the doctor performs the surgery correctly.

However, if the doctor does not cut properly, it goes deep down and touches the alveolar bone, the time for the gums to grow back can be 3 months and the wound will not heal at the normal physiological rate.

In cases where the alveolar bone is affected, healing time will be longer, usually 3-6 months.

Will the gums grow back after treatment?

Treating a gummy smile is not a very complicated procedure but requires high precision. If the doctor performs the cutting technique correctly, the gums will be stable and will not grow back later.

Price list for gummy smile treatment

The cost of gummy smile treatment depends on many factors such as: gummy smile condition, applied method, chosen dental address…

Currently, the cost of gum surgery will fluctuate around 2 million VND/tooth, lip muscle surgery costs around 12-18 million. Meanwhile, treating gummy smile requires jaw surgery which costs around 65-90 million VND.

To know the exact cost of a gum surgery, you need to go directly to the dentist for examination, determine the condition and the doctor will give a detailed quote.

Notes when treating gummy smile

Before treating gummy smile
For the gummy smile treatment process to be gentle and safe, you need to follow these notes:

Tests and jaw X-rays are needed to determine the cause of gummy smile.
Make sure you have a thorough clinical examination to determine if you have any dental problems. If you have any problems with your jaw, upper lip, etc.

After gummy smile surgery

Do not apply strong pressure to the wound area. At the same time, you should rest and avoid strenuous activity during this period.
After surgery, your gums may feel swollen and slightly numb. You can take medication prescribed by your doctor to improve this condition.
Maintain proper oral and wound hygiene as directed by your doctor.
You should eat soft foods like porridge, soup, etc. Eat lots of green vegetables containing fiber and vitamins to increase the healing process.
During the post-treatment period, patients should not eat spicy, hard, sticky foods, or seafood to avoid itching and allergies.

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Frequently asked questions when treating gummy smile

Is gummy smile surgery painful?

The nature of gum treatment is minor surgery, not invasive to the tooth structure. In addition, when performing surgery, the doctor will perform anesthesia to help the patient feel no pain or discomfort.

Does gummy smile treatment relapse?

All treatments for gummy smile such as braces, gingival reshaping, or jaw surgery… give permanent results and do not recur if you follow your doctor’s instructions.

Where is a reliable address for gummy smile treatment?

By applying the latest laser technology to treat gum recession, the process is quick, leaves no scars, and heals quickly. A team of highly trained professionals can help overcome all cases, even difficult ones. Domin Dental is committed to safety and effectiveness for customers using the service.