“My friend has a very open smile, and when she laughs, almost all of her upper gums are exposed. Is it a pathology or not? Why is this happening? Are there any ways to correct such a smile? In my opinion, it is not very beautiful …"
Anna, 30 years old
Dentist surgeon's answer:
Gingival is a smile in which the mucous membrane above the upper teeth is excessively exposed. Normally, the visibility of the gums is 1-2 mm. Anything more than this we call gummy smile. The appearance of a gummy smile is primarily explained by the individual structure of the upper jaw and its location. The line of teeth in the upper jaw, from the anterior to the chewing teeth, is called the occlusal plane. It may be at different angles to the skull, but is normally almost parallel to the horizon. In this case, the chewing teeth should be located slightly higher than the front incisors. But sometimes the occlusal plane is very steep, and the chewing teeth are quite “deep” recessed into the skull (conventionally, they are located closer to the brain), and the front teeth protrude strongly. In this case, when you smile, the gum is exposed more than usual.
A gum smile actually does not create any difficulties for a person: it does not interfere with eating or smiling. But due to the unaestheticness, many people want to correct this minor cosmetic defect. There are different ways to correct a gummy smile, and the choice depends on the severity of this genetic feature.
- Orthognathic surgery. With the help of maxillofacial surgery, it is possible to insert, push back or rotate the upper jaw by a few millimeters and thus get rid of not only a gummy smile, but also create, in general, a beautiful facial aesthetics, for example, improve symmetry.
- Surgical correction. It is a less invasive treatment that involves surgical reduction by 1-2 mm of the bone that surrounds the root of the tooth. The procedure is quite easy, and the effect is visible after 5-7 days, when the swelling of the mucous membrane subsides. Very often, the manipulation is combined with the installation of veneers in order to correct the shape of the teeth, which is usually incorrect with a gummy smile.
In general, the operation to change the gum smile is rather a tribute to fashion, since it does not interfere with living, eating, or smiling. For example, the well-known Hollywood star Nicole Kidman in her youth was the owner of a pronounced gummy smile, but who could think of to say that she was ugly?
Expert:
Maxim Antosik
Photo: Getty Images
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