Gummy Smile Treatment in NYC: Options That Work
When was the last time you felt confident about smiling widely? If it’s been a long time and excessive gum coverage is the reason, you probably have a “gummy smile.”
In a place like New York City, where first impressions matter, your confidence can drop when hiding a gummy smile. The great news is you don’t have to hide your smile because of your gums anymore. Dental advancements ensure countless gummy smile treatment options to reshape your gums and restore your smile.
65 Broadway Dental uses cosmetic, orthodontic, and surgical procedures to revive your smile and confidence.
Never had cosmetic dentistry before? Learn all about it in our blog about what to expect at your first cosmetic dentistry appointment in NYC.
What is a Gummy Smile?
A gummy smile occurs when more gum than teeth is visible when you smile. A ‘Gummy Smile’ is more common with the upper set of teeth than the lower one.
Dentists call smiles ‘gummy’ due to an extra 3 to 4 millimeters of additional coverage on teeth. Gummy smile correction is voluntary. People with the condition may have low confidence, but rarely have medical complications.
Gummy smiles are divided into types based on the location of the excess gum tissue.
What Are the Options for Gummy Smile Treatment?
The treatment for gummy smile conditions offers several cosmetic and orthodontic-related options. Dentists suggest a treatment plan after oral exams to determine the extent of gum growth.
“If planned properly, gummy smile treatments not only improve aesthetics but can also enhance long-term oral health. That’s why we offer personalized evaluations to find the best solution for you.”
— Dr. Alexander Heifitz, Founder of 65 Broadway Dental
a) Cosmetic Treatment for Gummy Smile
Cosmetic Dentistry can help to correct a gummy smile and improve your overall smile. The following treatment options help restore your smile and confidence!
| Category | Root Planing and Scaling | Crown Lengthening | Veneers | Gum Contouring | Lip/Jaw Surgery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | Deep cleaning of teeth and root surfaces | Removal of gum tissue and bone to expose more teeth | Thin shells placed over teeth | Reshaping of gum tissue | Surgical repositioning of lip or jaw |
| Cost | Moderate | Moderate to high | High | Moderate | High |
| Recovery Time | Minimal | Few weeks | Few days | Few days | Several weeks |
1. Crown Lengthening
Lengthening crowns is a great solution to reveal more tooth by cutting out gum tissue. Your dentist may suggest this option if you’re looking to fix tooth decay and breaks.
Crown lengthening is also helpful for people whose teeth haven’t fully erupted. It’s a surgical procedure and is usually necessary for crowns and restorations.
Recovery time ranges from 7 to 10 days, with full healing taking between 6 and 8 weeks. Crown lengthening is possible for single and multiple teeth, or an entire set.
2. Veneers
Veneers are very thin porcelain coverings that are attached to the front teeth. They are tailored to fit the natural appearance of your teeth. It includes color, shape, size, and texture.
These porcelain veneers help solve a gummy smile and are placed after gum contouring. However, these are one of the most costly solutions if you’re looking to place multiple veneers.
If you’re deciding between bonding and veneers, our blog, Veneers vs. Bonding in NYC: Which is Better, will help you compare the two.
3. Root Planing and Scaling
A gummy smile treatment for cases induced by infections and inflammation is scaling and root planing (SRP).
The dentist strips off the plaque below the gumline. After this, they proceed to smooth out the roots, helping them reattach in a way that positively shapes the gumline.
Looking forward to your first cleaning appointment? If you’re unsure what to expect, this is what happens during a dental cleaning.
4. Gingivectomy
This surgery is to remove excess gum tissue that hides more of your teeth than it should. Your dentist may need to use local anesthesia to perform the surgery. There are a few side effects, like swelling and bleeding, that resolve within a week.
Your dentist will tell you to eat carefully after the procedure. Soft and cold items such as ice cream and jello are a must. Softened foods such as eggs and boiled vegetables are also prescribed.
5. Gum Contouring
Gum contouring is another cosmetic procedure where your dentist reshapes the gumline. They will remove or reshape gum tissue to expose more of your teeth and improve your smile.
It’s surgical, but healing is quicker than other surgical gummy smile treatment options.
6. Lip or Jaw Surgery
Treatment for gummy smile cases in a severe form will require a more invasive approach. Lip repositioning or jaw alignment surgery are the two options available in such cases.
Jaw or orthognathic surgery is done to reposition the upper layer of teeth. It’s only prescribed for a severe gummy smile patient case.
b) Orthodontic Treatment for Gummy Smile
Orthodontics presents ways to treat a gummy smile without needing surgery or painful procedures.
| Category | Invisalign | Braces | Botox Injections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | Alignment tray system | Brackets and wires | Injected muscle relaxant |
| Cost | Moderate | Moderate | Minimal |
| Result Duration | Months to years | Months to years | 3–4 months |
1. Invisalign
These special clear aligners use gradual force to move the teeth into place. Invisalign will also correct small bite issues arising from jaw misalignment. It’s the perfect solution for people with a mild gummy smile issue.
It doesn’t need surgical intervention and is relatively pain-free. You’ll need to wear these appliances for 6 to 18 months. Only then will it fix your gummy smile and straighten your teeth.
2. Braces
These orthodontic devices consist of fixing metal or ceramic braces (brackets) on each tooth. A cable links each bracket together and allows for regular tightening. Patients with braces must visit their dentist every few weeks for retightening and adjustments.
Braces and implant-supported anchorage devices can correct more severe cases of gummy smiles.
3. Botox Injections
Although Botox is usually associated with making New Yorkers look younger, it’s also used in dentistry.
Facial aesthetics or injections, such as Botox, work by paralyzing muscles in the upper lip. Therefore, it reduces its ability to rise too much when smiling. If you want a gummy smile treatment with no surgery, Botox or fillers are ideal.
What Causes a Gummy Smile?
Several factors can lead to the gummy smile condition, including genetics, medications, a hyperactive upper lip, or jaw misalignment. Here’s a closer look at all the causes of a gummy smile.
Genetics
A person’s genes will influence various characteristics like lip position, jaw shape, and gum thickness. Genetics influences a person’s likelihood of getting a gummy smile.
Medication
Some medications may have a side effect causing overgrowth of the gum tissue. Dentists call this drug-induced gingival overgrowth or DIGO in its abbreviated form.
Medications with this side effect are usually:
- Immunosuppressants
- Anti-convulsants
- Calcium channel blockers
People using these medications should discuss the solutions they have available to them with their dentist. Leaving the issue untreated can be dangerous if they are used for long durations.
Gum Irregularities
Some genetic gum irregularities, such as Gingival hypertrophy, cause unwanted gum enlargement or lengthening. People with this condition can remove gum tissue to expose more of the teeth’s surface.
Hyperactive Upper Lip
At rest, a hyperactive lip isn’t noticeable. It becomes visible when smiling as the hyperactive muscle raises the upper lip more than it should. It results in more of the gums being seen, distorting the smile.
Teeth Misformation
The way in which teeth grow also influences vulnerability to a gummy smile. Based on tooth growth patterns, there can be two conditions leading to a gummy appearance:
- Altered Passive Eruption: The gums cover extra tooth surface as they grow inwards. The best solution is crown lengthening to reveal more of the tooth.
- Dentoalveolar Eruption: Here, the gums are lower in the jaw, bringing the gums down as well. Solutions are braces, aligners, or corrective surgery to position teeth/jawbone.
Another condition relating to the upper jawbone is:
- Vertical Maxillary Excess: Bones in the upper jaw grow past the appropriate length.
Jaw Alignment Issues
When the upper jawbone is not aligned properly, it can cause the gums to protrude. This creates a gummy smile, as the gums look more noticeable than necessary.
Benefits of Gummy Smile Treatment in NYC
People in New York City consider not having a camera-worthy smile a disadvantage. Luckily, at 65 Broadway Dental, Dr. Alexander Heifitz and his team have ways to solve gummy smile-related flaws. Here’s what you get from our dental clinic in the Financial District, NYC.
Restored Confidence
Nothing drains confidence faster than an overgrowth of gum tissue over your perfect teeth. We correct this with various techniques, ensuring a quick healing journey to a new smile.
Removing that extra gum tissue will restore your confidence levels. This allows you to get on with your life and embrace New York’s social scene.
Improved Oral Health
Occasionally, excessive gum growth can have a hidden medical reason. Sometimes, a gummy smile is swelling or an infection, and could be linked to oral health. A medical condition-related gummy smile can affect your health, as dental health affects overall health.
Choosing to fix the source of the problem can improve your oral and overall health.
Achieving Desired Smile
If you’re getting a Smile Design, gummy smile treatment could be part of the procedure. This corrective treatment could be the last piece that grants you your dream smile.
A dentist-prescribed treatment plan will restore the ideal gum-tooth ratio. The result will be a smile with more teeth visible than gum.
Conclusion
There’s no denying the importance a confident smile plays to people in NYC and around the globe. Smiles help us express ourselves and communicate, and without them, people can be misunderstood.
At 65 Broadway Dental, we carry out an initial assessment and create a treatment plan from there. We remove your gummy smile and design the best possible smile based on your facial characteristics and personality.
FAQs
1. Can Botox fix a gummy smile?
Botox can fix a gummy smile. However, this gummy smile treatment is ongoing and requires reapplication every 3 to 12 months based on the specific product used.
2. At what age can people fix a gummy smile?
You can fix a gummy smile at any age, with the cause deciding the action plan.
3. Can fillers fix a gummy smile?
Fillers work similarly to Botox by partially paralyzing the upper lip muscle.
4. What is the best surgery for gummy smile patients?
The best surgery-related gummy smile treatment depends on the cause. If it’s related to the jaw, corrective surgery may be necessary to align it. If it’s due to the upper lip, lip repositioning may be the best solution.
5. Is fixing a gummy smile worth it?
For many people in NYC with low confidence due to their gummy smile, yes, it’s worth fixing.
6. Can you permanently fix a gummy smile?
Depending on the cause, a gummy smile is fixable. Most permanent solutions require surgery for jaw alignment or lip repositioning. A less invasive option is orthodontic treatment, like braces or aligners.
7. Can you outgrow a gummy smile?
It is possible to outgrow a gummy smile. However, this is most common in children who are still developing. Temporary cases may occur among pregnant women due to hormonal changes, but resolve afterwards.
Dr. Alexander Heifitz (Author)
Dr. Alexander Heifitz is the founder of 65 Broadway Dental in NYC, where he combines advanced dental expertise with a patient-first approach. He specializes in cosmetic and restorative treatments such as dental implants, veneers, Invisalign, and smile makeovers, helping New Yorkers achieve both oral health and confidence.
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