What is referred to as a “gummy smile” is when a large portion of your upper gums show when you smile or laugh. Individuals who have a gummy smile are typically self-conscious when they talk or smile and will usually try to hide it.
Botox can be injected into the lip muscle right under the nose, which then controls or “paralyzes” your ability to contract the upper lip when you smile. This treatment will still allow you to smile, you will still be able to smile big without the worry of showing too much of your gums.
Botox in this area does not last quite as long as Botox in other areas, such as the glabella, crow’s feet or forehead because of the high amount of movement through talking, smiling, drinking and eating. You can expect this non-invasive treatment to last approximately 2-4 months.
When Botox is injected into the muscle, it weakens or relaxes muscle activity. Most people think that Botox is only used to treat fine lines and wrinkles however, in 1977 Botox was originally created to treat strabismus, which is a problem with the eye muscles. Botox is also used medically to treat chronic migraines and can help relieve pain from TMJ.
There is also a surgical option to address a “gummy smile”. This surgery is called a gingivectomy, a procedure where an oral surgeon cuts away part of the upper gums. This is a permanent solution while Botox is temporary.
We are seeing more and more patients coming in to temporarily fix their gummy smiles because there is no downtime, treatment is less than 15 minutes and it’s really affordable because only a few units of Botox are needed.
To see if you are a candidate for this treatment, please (801) 776-2220 or contact us HERE.