- Excess gum tissue (gingival overgrowth) happens where gums may cover too much of the tooth surface, making teeth appear short.
- Short or Worn Teeth can make teeth that have erupted fully but look small due to natural size or wear.
- Excessive Upper Jaw Growth (Vertical Maxillary Excess) is where the upper jaw may be longer than normal, exposing more gum when smiling.
- Hyperactive upper lip is when the lip muscles of the upper lip rise higher than usual when smiling, revealing more gum.
- Tooth eruption issues can make teeth appear shorter or the gums may not have receded properly into their mature position after eruption.
Our dentists at Geans Clinic will assess your teeth, their proportions, your gum and tooth proportions, jaw and facial structure, lip movement when smiling and supplemented with X-rays and photos a diagnosis can be achieved. We are fortunate at Geans Clinic to have in house specialists in orthodontics, prosthodontics and dentists trained in facial aesthetics and periodontal surgery who can together help plan how to best treat your case.
The treatment options depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the gum exposure and can either be a single treatment or a combination of:
- Anti-wrinkle injections which can temporarily weaken the upper lip muscles to reduce gum show (ideal for hyperactive lips)
- Orthodontics uses braces or aligners to reposition the teeth or jaws if needed to improve the amount of tooth on show to balance your smile.
- Gum contouring (gingivectomy) reshapes excess gum tissue for a more balanced smile
- Crown lengthening surgery removes gum and sometimes some underlying bone to expose more of the tooth
- Orthognathic surgery which is a more advance treatment option for severe cases that corrects excessive jaw growth
- Lip repositioning surgery can help to limit upper lip movement by modifying tissue beneath it
