Showing too much gum when you smile has several different causes. Here is how each one is approached.
A gummy smile means more upper gum shows when you smile than most people would expect. There is no single cause: gum tissue covering too much of the tooth, teeth that appear short, how far the upper lip lifts, and the vertical position of the upper jaw can each contribute, alone or together. Treatment therefore begins with identifying which of these applies.
Main causes
- Gum tissue covering more of the crown than it should, making normal teeth look short
- Swelling from gum inflammation increasing the visible tissue
- An upper lip that lifts unusually high when smiling
- A short upper lip
- Excess vertical growth of the upper jaw
- Worn or short teeth shifting the proportion in favour of the gum
- Asymmetric gum levels linked to the position of the front teeth
How it is assessed
The dentist measures how much tooth shows at rest and while smiling, observes lip movement, and calculates tooth width to length proportions. Gum health is checked separately, because inflamed tissue exaggerates the picture. Imaging of the bone level is added where needed.
Approaches by cause
Where excess gum tissue is the issue, reshaping the gum line reveals the tooth's natural length, and inflammation must be resolved first, so the process usually begins with gum treatment. Where tooth position or vertical jaw relationships dominate, orthodontic treatment may change the vertical position of the teeth. In clearly skeletal cases the assessment includes a surgical dimension, and jaw surgery is planned jointly with other disciplines.
Gum line and restorations
The gum line frames every restoration in the smile zone. If gum levels are asymmetric, replacing the teeth alone will not fix the appearance, because the eye reads the asymmetry from the gum. That is why gum contouring often comes first in smile design, with restorative work following once the tissue has healed.
Healing time is needed after gum recontouring, and the margin can shift slightly during it, so permanent restorations wait. Our clinic in Muratpasa, Antalya is open around the clock, seven days a week.
