What Causes a Gummy Smile?

You may have noticed it years ago when you were looking at your mouth in the mirror or when you were looking at pictures of yourself. Your smile does not look quite right, and it always looks as though you have more gum tissue showing in your smile than teeth. No one has ever mentioned it to you before, but now that you are aware of it, you think about it every time you are going to smile and wonder if others see it as well. This condition has nagged at you for years, but you have never taken steps to find out more about it or what you can do about it. Here at the Total Smile, we can tell you what some of the causes of a gummy smile can be and what you can do about it to make your smile look better.

Getting to the Root Causes

There can be a number of causes for excess gum tissue showing when you smile. It may be that you simply have excess gum tissue in your mouth. For some people, they have a shorter upper lip does not cover as much of their gum area. Still, others have shorter teeth, making it look as though they have much more gum tissue. All of these reasons are tied to your genetics, meaning you were simply born with the condition. It is not because of anything that is medically wrong with you or something you have done. The condition is strictly one of aesthetics, but those that suffer from it find it very noticeable and want to do something about it.

Steps You Can Take

So what can you do about a gummy smile? Well, there are different treatments available to you, but the treatment we offer at the Total Smile can bring you the best results without the need for drastic surgery or a painful recovery time. Our periodontist, Dr. Alex Farnoosh, developed a procedure that lowers the upper lip to help cover up the visible gum tissue and give you a more aesthetically-pleasing smile.

Set up an Exam

The best move you can make to learn more about your gummy smile and what you can do about it is to call our office at the Total Smile. You can schedule an exam with Dr. Farnoosh when you call us at 310-657-0503. Dr. Farnoosh will exam you and spend time with you, answering questions and discussing treatment options, so you can see the best way to get a better smile and regain your confidence.