What is the gummy smile?
The gummy smile is a rather common issue of the mouth, characterized by excessive exposure of the gums of the upper dental arch. People with gummy smile have a high smile line that inevitably exposes the gums quite a bit, and often too much for the patient’s liking. It can be more or less accentuated, depending on the case. It should not be underestimated compared to the most common dental diseases, because it acts above all on a psychological level by worsening self-esteem.
Among the main causes of this disorder, there are:
* Gum Covering your teeth: Too much gum covering the teeth is one of the most common causes of a gummy smile.
* The lip rises higher than it should: The upper lip is actually a series of different muscles. If lip length and muscle strength are causing the lip to rise higher than ideal, there will be an excess of gums shown.
* The upper jaw is higher than ideal: this exposes more gums than some might want
This can be caused by
* the complete failure of the eruption of the teeth, or altered passive eruption
* the short upper lip
* the accentuated prominence of the maxillary bone
* genetics: gummy smiles tend to run in families
The gummy smile in children
Children can also have gummy smile. In these cases, before seeking causes and solutions to correct the imperfection during childhood, it is preferable to wait for the natural path of growth and development of the jaw bones of the young patient to take place.
Why is a gummy smile a problem?
Physically, having a gummy smile is generally not a problem. There are no real dental problems that are the result of a gummy smile. The causes of gum smile can be various: dental, bone or muscular in nature. It could also be due to the presence of occlusive or skeletal pathologies. Because of this, it is important to get your gummy smile looked at by a dentist, even if the aesthetics are not an issue for you. Especially in adults, the gum smile is a problem that should not be overlooked if it becomes a reason for anxiety and embarrassment in the relationship with oneself and with others: those who are afraid to smile, in fact, do not live peacefully. In general, people with a gummy smile tend not to smile because they are unsure of their external appearance, although they can often boast a perfect white set of teeth. The gum smile, in fact, has nothing to do with the health of the teeth and mouth; on the contrary, it is an aesthetic problem. Gum smile sufferers may feel uncomfortable because they know they don't have an ideal smile.
We can all take care of our smile with careful oral hygiene, moisturizing and protecting the lips and making periodic appointments at the dentist. If we are not satisfied with our smile, talk to your dentist to evaluate any corrections.