Ever looked at a picture of yourself and realized that your gummy tissue is out compared to your smile? If yes, then you might be suffering from excessive gingival display also known as gummy smile. Statistically, women are prone to gummy smiles as compared to men. 7% of men and 14% of women are affected by gummy smiles. It is funny how the number of women affected doubles the number of men. It is however important to note that gummy smiles are responsible for the exposure of more than 3mm of the gums and it is not a disease. However, it is a condition that is considered less attractive. Without wasting more time, let us dig into the causes.
Genetics and anatomy
In most cases, genetics play a big role. A hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF) is one of the main causes of a gummy smile that may become severe leading to speaking problems. When your body experiences changes in anatomy like hormonal imbalances that are associated often with pregnancy and puberty, you may also experience the issue. Blood issues like leukemia are also likely to cause a gummy smile.
Poor dental hygiene
You may be treated to think that oral health only involves your teeth. That is often not the case, when plaque builds up it may find its way under the gums leading to inflammation and enlarged gums. For people who use traditional braces, they may often forget to floss since the braces are an obstruction. This may allow bacteria to build up causing inflammation in the gums.
Treatment
Treatment of a gummy smile involves the intervention of a periodontist. They are responsible for the procedure called 'gum lift' or gum contouring. They carefully carve the gum of the front teeth with a soft tissue laser giving them attractive looks. The process is done by our team of trained dentists with the use of local anesthesia and sedatives like nitrous oxide and within one or two hours the patient is back with a fresh smile. Make an effort to contact us in the case of consultation and treatment purposes. Let us take care of your smile.
About Us | Dental Implants West Linn, OR | Oral Solutions NW As oral surgery specialists, we here at Oral Solutions NW use the latest technology and advanced techniques to provide a supreme level of care! Oral Solutions NW, 22400 Salamo Rd. Suite # 205, West Linn, OR 97068 ^ (971) 447-0164 ^ oralsolutionsnw.com ^ 3/19/2025 ^ Tags: dental implants West Linn OR ^
Ever looked at a picture of yourself and realized that your gummy tissue is out compared to your smile? If yes, then you might be suffering from excessive gingival display also known as gummy smile. Statistically, women are prone to gummy smiles as compared to men. 7% of men and 14% of women are affected by gummy smiles. It is funny how the number of women affected doubles the number of men. It is however important to note that gummy smiles are responsible for the exposure of more than 3mm of the gums and it is not a disease. However, it is a condition that is considered less attractive. Without wasting more time, let us dig into the causes.