Plagued by a Gummy Smile? How We Can Help

You are inclined to be sociable and outgoing, but you hang back because you are unsure about your smile. Your teeth seem too short and your gums too prominent, giving you a gummy smile. Is there hope?

People are very aware of their smile, since it is the first thing you usually notice about another person. Smile concerns like this can strip you of confidence and make you unwilling to smile, talk, and laugh naturally. At Bayside Dental Arts in Queens, New York, Dr. Andrey Ilyabayev and our team are committed to giving you the smile you want. If you have a gummy smile, veneers can provide the even, balanced look you are after.

Anatomy of a Gummy Smile

Only a small portion of your tooth normally shows above the gumline. The rest of the upper part of the tooth is covered by gingival tissue, or gums, with the roots buried deep in your jawbone. When your gingival tissue extends over more of your front-facing tooth structure than usual, you end up with excessive gingival display, what people commonly call a gummy smile.

What Causes a Gummy Smile

A gummy smile is not always caused by the same thing, which is part of why treatment varies. Common contributing factors include:

• Excess gum tissue that never fully receded during tooth eruption
• Tooth position or bite alignment, sometimes correctable with orthodontic treatment
• A naturally more active or overactive upper lip muscle
• Teeth that appear shorter than average

Because the cause varies, Dr. Ilyabayev evaluates what is actually driving your specific case before recommending a solution.

Answers for a Gummy Smile

There are a few different ways to address a gummy smile. Some people pursue laser gum contouring, which uses a precision laser to remove excess gum tissue and sculpt the remaining tissue around the teeth. This can be effective, but gum tissue does not regenerate, and it can creep back along the faces of your teeth as you age. You could end up with very little gum tissue showing and noticeably longer-looking teeth after several years, trading one cosmetic issue for another.

For gummy smiles related to tooth position or bite alignment specifically, orthodontic treatment such as Invisalign may help address the underlying cause rather than just its appearance.

Veneers may be the better option for many patients. We can shape veneers into your ideal smile to balance exposed gum tissue against your front-facing teeth, giving you the evenness you are looking for. Additional benefits of veneers include covering small defects like:

• Small chips
• Cosmetic cracks
• Dark stains
• Gaps
• Crowding

With veneers addressing every flaw at once, you can smile with confidence.

Getting Veneers

Getting veneers is a straightforward process. Here are the steps:

Consultation

The first step is a consultation with Dr. Ilyabayev. He examines your teeth, cleans them if necessary, checks for gum disease, and orders any needed X-rays.

Preparation

If your teeth and gums are healthy, Dr. Ilyabayev preps your teeth for veneers. This includes removing a thin layer of enamel from your front teeth so the veneers sit flush, taking digital impressions, and placing temporary veneers to protect your teeth in the meantime.

Application

At Bayside Dental Arts, we design your veneers to give you the smile you want. They are fabricated to fit closely against your teeth and extend up just enough to cover excess gum tissue. Once your veneers are ready, you make one final visit for Dr. Ilyabayev to cement your permanent veneers in place.

Veneers typically last 5 to 10 years or longer before needing replacement. As your gums change shape over time, we can adjust your veneers to help keep your smile looking balanced.

For more information on veneers, contact us or book an appointment online. We are located in the Bayside neighborhood of Queens, New York.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gummy Smiles