It is true that beauty comes from within but a good smile is something which I am sure neither of us can resist. Smile is what makes us look more beautiful and it is something which we do not want to negotiate on. OnlyMyHealth is celebrating World Health Day 2022 and we would be focusing on stories that could raise awareness about important health issues that we go through in our daily life. Since oral health is a very crucial but equally neglected part of our health awareness, we would be discussing about gummy smile. It is an oral issue that breaks your confidence because of disproportionate showcase of gums and teeth. Interestingly, Bollywood star Akshay Kumar also has gummy smile, but he is a proud carrier of that.
What is a Gummy Smile?
OnlyMyHealth conducted a live session on our Youtube page as a part of our Healthy living campaign to talk about Oral health with Dr. Rajesh Shetty, Clinical Director at Dazzle Dental Clinic and M.D.S, Periodontist, and Implantologist. In the session he explained about gummy smile and its ways of treatment. Gummy smile is the balance that is present between your white portion (teeth) and pink area (gums) when you smile.
He said that a lot of people lose their confidence just because they are not able to smile in social circle and not able to talk openly because of gummy smile. In the exclusive interview, he also mentioned that there is nothing to be ashamed of in this but people experiencing this dental issue can get it easily treated. There are both surgical and non-surgical ways to treat gummy smile, however he prefers to recommend non-surgical way as it is more natural way of getting a better smile.
Causes of Gummy Smile?
In this world of perfection, treating your smile is also achievable. Gummy smile can be cause due to a number of reasons, here is the list of the following-
- Because of jaw development problem
- Incorrect bite
- Hyperactive or overly short lips
- Excessive gingival display
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How Can You Treat Gummy Smile Without Surgery?
As dentistry has advanced over the years, it is now possible to treat a number of dental procedures without a surgery. According to our expert, it is very much possible to treat gummy smile with the help of non-surgical methods. Here is what you can do-
Orthodontic Treatment
Orthodontics can be a good and easy option when you want to retrieve a perfect smile. Gummy smile that has been caused because of jaw issues or improper bite can be corrected using this method. Treating these underlying dental problems can take care of pain or any kind of discomfort related to gummy smile. Make sure you speak to your dentist before getting any orthodontic treatment as every individual may suit a different method.
1. Crowns or Veneers
Since gummy smile not a major oral health concern, crowns are a gradual and safe option to treat gummy smile. Getting a crown attached to your teeth can be as good as aesthetic treatment. You won’t feel any discomfort while putting a crown to your teeth and help them look longer and larger. This will help balance your proportion of teeth and gums when you smile. It is a non-invasive effort to reduce appearance of gummy smile.
2. Root Planing and Scaling Procedure
Scaling is the process of removal of plaque from the tooth till your roots in the gum. Root canal treatment is a common procedure dentists follow. In this method, teeth scaling is done and then dentist smoothens out tooth root in order to help your gums reattach. This helps your tooth to get cleaned and change the gum line of the person that is responsible for gummy smile.
Also Read- Teeth Grinding At Night: 6 Ways To Prevent Bruxism
Surgical Methods to Treat Gummy Smile
Apart from above mentioned procedures , there are also a variety of surgical methods that can be done in order to treat gummy smile. Mind you most of the surgical methods are costly and might not satisfy you totally. Here are some surgical methods that are conducted as dental surgery to treat this problem-
1. Lip Repositioning Surgery or Botox- As the name suggests, in this surgical procedure your lip is repositioned in such a way that it balances out the white and pink area when you smile.
2. Laser Gum Contouring- This procedure uses laser to contour the gums and move them back in the gum line. This helps your lips cover more gums that aligns it with your teeth in balanced proportion.
3. Crown Lengthening Procedures also known as Gingivectomy- It is a crown lengthening technique and procedure where the gum area is reduced through surgery to showcase a bigger tooth piece.
Picture Credits- shutterstock.com