For many of our patients, the reason they don’t like the appearance of their smile has nothing to do with their teeth, but rather their gum line. When too much gum tissue shows in a person’s smile, it can really throw off the delicate balance between the teeth, lips, and gums that’s needed to create that perfectly proportioned look. While surgery is often used to correct this kind of problem, braces in Powell can actually provide a much more conservative solution that still delivers a beautiful final result. How does this work? Read on to learn more.
But First…What Causes a Gummy Smile in the First Place?
It should be said right off the bat that the definition of what constitutes a “gummy” smile is completely subjective. According to research, if 3-4 millimeters of gum tissue is exposed whenever a person smiles, onlookers will consider this less attractive compared to when only 2 millimeters or less is exposed. In real life, however, most people just know a gummy smile when they see one, especially if it is their own.
Here are the most common reasons for someone to have a gummy smile:
- They have a short upper lip that doesn’t come down far enough to cover the gum tissue while smiling.
- Shortened teeth, either due to them not erupting correctly, or because they have been worn down.
- If the upper jaw is overdeveloped (much larger compared to the lower jaw), or if a person has an overbite, it can automatically cause the gums to stick out.
- In rare cases, a person can have a condition called gingival hypertrophy, or an overgrowth of gum tissue around the teeth.
How Braces Can Help
As touched on above, it’s often someone’s teeth and/or underlying bone that can cause them to develop a “gummy” smile, and fortunately, this is something an orthodontist in Powell can easily correct.
Using a braces treatment (whether it’s traditional metal braces or a clear aligner system like Invisalign), they can bring the teeth and jaws into their ideal alignment, which will automatically reduce the amount of gum tissue that shows in the smile. In addition to the aesthetic benefits, properly aligning the teeth and bite can also increase someone’s oral function, dramatically improving their ability to speak and eat. Better yet, undergoing orthodontics is much less invasive and often just as effective as getting a procedure that removes excess gum tissue or repositions the upper lip.
How to Get Started
So now that you know that braces could help correct your gummy smile, what should you do next? We recommend contacting Shirck Orthodontics so we can give you a FREE consultation. We’re located right in Powell, and you’ll be able to meet our team and get all your questions answered without spending a dollar. We’ll examine your mouth, let you know if orthodontic treatment would be a good fit for you, and if it is, we can get you started right away. And, if you choose to get Invisalign with us, we can even give you a preview of what your smile will look like after treatment thanks to our iTero digital scanner!
If you’re ready to stop feeling self-conscious about your gummy smile, then the team at Shirck Orthodontics is more than ready to help you using a proven solution that won’t involve any scalpels or sutures! To schedule your FREE consultation, contact us today.