Leading Lips

Very few cosmetic dentists in Los Angeles offer procedures to improve "gummy smile" or high lip line. In 1998, as a Beverly Hills dentist / periodontist, I began to utilize a procedure to treat patients with a "gummy smile" and high lip line. Since then I have offered a convenient procedure to lower the upper lip so that it reveals less of your gum line when you smile. Television shows that highlight cosmetic makeovers and plastic surgery have increased people's interest in this minimally-invasive procedure, and many Angelenos come to my Beverly Hills office wanting to learn more.

Gummy smile revision is popular at my Beverly Hills dental office. When you watch the news, read a magazine, or leaf through your old photo albums, you can see that there is a certain beauty to all smiles, because smiles show our inner happiness and enjoyment. But when it comes down to it, some people have unattractive smiles because of discolored or missing teeth, discolored gums, or an upper lip that reveals too much of the gum line when you smile. After the surgery, you'll enjoy a smile that better fits your facial features and have the confidence to show it off.

Beverly Hills dentist and celebrity periodontist Dr. Alex A. Farnoosh can help you find out what it's like to smile with total confidence: schedule an appointment or call 310.657.0503 to set up a consultation. You can learn more about the lip lowering procedure from Dr. Farnoosh himself when you watch his latest videos.

Candidates for High Lip Line Lowering

Very simply, if your upper lip reveals a substantial amount of gum tissue when you smile, you can benefit from this procedure. Sometimes, people don't realize that their high lip line is the problem, and instead think that they need to have their teeth lengthened or gums raised. Often, lip lowering will give you the smile you're looking for, and is a much less invasive surgical correction. In some cases, combining upper lip lowering with crown lengthening or excess gum tissue removal may be required to create an attractive smile.

Lip Lowering Benefits

This procedure offers a number of advantages to my patients:

• Lip lowering exposes your teeth more evenly and shows off a more "normal" amount of teeth and gums when you smile.
• The procedure reassures those patients who are afraid to smile and reduces the amount of self-consciousness you feel every time you show your smile to the world.
• In general, lip lowering makes the smile more attractive and offers a better "fit" with the rest of your face.

The Surgical Procedure in Beverly Hills

Some dentists might tell you that nothing can be done to fix your high lip line, or may only suggest treatments that raise the gum tissue instead of lowering the lip. I perform a procedure that repositions the upper lip in relation to the gum line. The surgery requires only local anesthesia. First, I make a set of careful incisions in the existing tissue that connects your lip to your gums. These incisions are made entirely inside your lips, so there's no scarring or marks on your outer lip. Then I use a technique that limits the vertical movement of the upper lip, which when you smile will keep the lip closer to your teeth.

Risks and Recovery

There are practically no risks associated with the lip lowering procedure, and your recovery time is fairly short. Smile enhancement will vary from patient to patient, but most people are very satisfied to be freed from their gummy smile. Remember that lip lowering surgery will not cause a dramatic change to the appearance of your lips, but mainly control how high your upper lip lifts when you smile.