The gummy smile affects 10% of the population. It is a physiological alteration of the position of the gum when smiling in which, as the name suggests, the patient shows an excessive amount of gum when smiling. This appearance can be unsightly for the patient and can lead to health problems in the future.
We should know that if we notice that we show a lot of gum when we smile or that our teeth look very square, we should consult a gum specialist, called a periodontist, for the assessment of a possible gummy smile. Other signs to take into account are if our gums are always swollen and bleed even if we perform frequent dental hygiene. If our dentist/stomatologist does not find a solution, we must go to a periodontist to make a correct diagnosis of our gums.
Beyond esthetics
The gummy smile is not only an aesthetic issue, we must know that the gum that is in excess is not attached to the tooth, but is supported on the tooth. This means that over time a space will be created between the gum and the tooth, which in the future will be colonized by bacteria, which can cause caries, or inflammation of the gum first and destruction of the bone in a second stage, which we know as periodontitis or “pyorrhea”. That is why the correct diagnosis and treatment of the gingival smile leads to improve our aesthetics and our health.
In most cases the treatment for the gummy smile is very simple. With outpatient surgery in which we remove excess gum and, in many cases, excess bone, the patient can enjoy a much more beautiful smile and above all avoid problems in the future.