A gummy smile, also known as excessive gingival display, occurs when a large portion of the upper gum is visible during a smile, which is aesthetically concerning for many. A gummy smile can be caused by excessive contraction of the muscles that lift the upper lip. When these muscles are overactive, they pull the upper lip too high, revealing a larger area of the gums.
A safe and elegant method to reduce or even eliminate a gummy smile is the treatment with botulinum toxin. In this non-surgical procedure, botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, is injected into the upper lip muscles using very fine needles that lift the upper lip. The botulinum toxin causes the muscles to relax and the upper lip to lower slightly when smiling, so that the gums are covered by the upper lip as desired.
The injections are usually relatively painless, and the entire process takes only a few minutes. After the treatment, you can immediately resume normal activities without any downtime. The effects of Botox in treating a gummy smile are temporary and typically last around three to six months. After that, a booster treatments may be necessary to maintain the results in order to continue to display a beautiful and confident smile permanently.
A gummy smile, also known as excessive gingival display, occurs when a large portion of the upper gum is visible during a smile, which is aesthetically concerning for many. A gummy smile can be caused by excessive contraction of the muscles that lift the upper lip. When these muscles are overactive, they pull the upper lip too high, revealing a larger area of the gums.
A safe and elegant method to reduce or even eliminate a gummy smile is the treatment with botulinum toxin. In this non-surgical procedure, botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, is injected into the upper lip muscles using very fine needles that lift the upper lip. The botulinum toxin causes the muscles to relax and the upper lip to lower slightly when smiling, so that the gums are covered by the upper lip as desired.
The injections are usually relatively painless, and the entire process takes only a few minutes. After the treatment, you can immediately resume normal activities without any downtime. The effects of Botox in treating a gummy smile are temporary and typically last around three to six months. After that, a booster treatments may be necessary to maintain the results in order to continue to display a beautiful and confident smile permanently.