Gummy Smiles Treatment in Long Island, NY
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What Is a Gummy Smile?
A gummy smile is when your gums show more than you would like when you smile. It can make some people feel self-conscious, even though it’s completely harmless. The good news is, there are gentle, effective treatments that can help bring out the smile you love, creating a more natural balance between your teeth and gums.
To improve your smile, excess gum tissue is removed (often with a laser) to expose all the beautiful enamel nature gave you. This is called a gingivectomy, gummy smile treatment, gum contouring, and even a “gum lift.”
How Dr. Scharf Fixes Gummy Smiles
During your exam, Dr. David Scharf will evaluate your teeth, gums, and overall oral health to identify the cause of your gummy smile. This may involve a simple visual exam or more advanced diagnostics like digital impressions and X-rays to assess your jawbone and tooth roots. Several treatment options are available, depending on your needs:
Laser Gum Treatment
A laser gently removes excess gum tissue while preserving healthy areas. It’s often used to treat gum disease—a common cause of gummy smiles—and helps create a more balanced gum line.
Maxillofacial Surgery
In more complex cases, surgery may be needed to reshape gum tissue and bone to achieve a more natural smile.
Orthodontic Treatment
Braces or clear aligners can shift teeth into better alignment, which may reduce the appearance of a gummy smile.
These are just a few of the possible solutions. Dr. Scharf will help you explore both surgical and non-surgical options to find the treatment that’s right for your smile.
Gingivectomy Before and After Photos
Before photos are on the left and after photos are on the right of two women. Neither woman liked their “gummy smiles.” The excess gum tissue was removed, and that brought a more natural balance to their smiles.
Gum Contouring Before and After
This patient had great-looking teeth but too much gum tissue and some asymmetry. Simply removing the excess gum tissue made a huge difference.
Gingivectomy Before and After
This patient’s gum tissue made her teeth look too short. This patient was thrilled with her new smile after a gingivectomy that removed the excess gum tissue.
Crown Lengthening Before and After
This patient’s teeth are short from years of grinding (bruxism) and not protecting his teeth with a night guard. Following crown lengthening and porcelain restorations, he can’t stop smiling!
Crown Lengthening Before and After
This patient had teeth that were both too short and discolored. A combination of esthetic crown lengthening followed by teeth whitening greatly enhanced his smile.
What Causes Gummy Smiles?
A gummy smile can develop for many reasons. Sometimes it’s due to how a tooth erupts, while in other cases it relates to the growth and positioning of your upper jawbone. Because several unpredictable factors can influence your smile, the causes of a gummy smile can vary widely. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Abnormal tooth eruption: When your teeth erupt improperly in your gums, it can lead to the majority of the tooth being covered by excessive gum tissue. This results in your teeth looking short even though they’re likely a proper length.
- Hyperactive upper lip muscle: A hyperactive upper lip muscle can cause your lip to lift higher than usual when you smile, revealing more gum tissue than normal.
- Upper jaw bone growth and development: If your upper jaw developed with a prominent or forward-positioned shape during growth, it can create a bulging effect that leads to a gummy-looking smile.
Schedule an Appointment
Dr. David Scharf and his team of dental professionals are here to help fix your gummy smile. We want you to smile proudly and be happy with it. We can reshape the gum tissue so your pearly whites shine through. Dr. David Scharf has dedicated himself to providing the best dental care possible to the people of Long Island, NY!
Long Island Gummy Smile Treatment
ADDRESS:
98 East Main Street
Babylon, NY 11702
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PHONE: (631) 661-6633
OFFICE HOURS:
- Monday: 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM