How to Fix a Gummy Smile (by What’s Causing It)

A gummy smile can be fixed, but the right fix depends on why you show extra gum. The three usual causes are a lip that lifts too high, teeth that look short, or an excess of gum tissue, and each one has a different treatment. So the first real step is identifying the cause, because treating the wrong one changes nothing.

Which type of gummy smile is yours

A quick self-check points you toward the cause. Look in a mirror and smile fully:

• Your upper lip rises high and shows a band of gum: a hyperactive or short upper lip
• Your teeth look short or stubby but healthy: teeth covered by too much gum, or worn down
• You see a lot of gum with normal-length teeth: excess or uneven gum tissue

Your dentist confirms which it is, and some smiles have more than one cause at once.

Fixes by cause

Once the cause is clear, the treatment follows it:

• Hyperactive lip: Botox to relax the lift, or lip repositioning for a longer-term result
• Excess gum or short-looking teeth: gum contouring and crown lengthening to reveal more tooth
• Jaw-based, where the upper jaw grew too far down: orthognathic surgery, the most involved option

Most gummy smiles are handled without surgery once the cause is matched to the right fix.

Which fixes are permanent and which need upkeep

Some results last, and some need maintaining. Botox is temporary and wears off in a few months, so it needs repeating. Gum contouring, crown lengthening, lip repositioning, and jaw surgery are long-lasting to permanent, though gum tissue can rebound slightly when contouring was minor.

The mis-diagnosis trap: treating the wrong cause

This is where gummy-smile treatment goes wrong. Botox will not help if the real issue is excess gum tissue, and gum contouring will not fix a lip that simply lifts too high. Matching the treatment to the actual cause is the whole game, which is why a proper exam comes before any procedure.

A real case: her gum lift and crown lengthening

Dr. Veytsman treats gummy smiles with exactly this cause-first approach. Describing one patient who “felt she was showing too much gum when she smiled,” she explains: “we did what we call a smile lift, gum lift with something called crown lengthening where we actually raise the gum level a little bit to be able to give the illusion of longer teeth without actually making them longer.” The teeth look longer because the gumline moved, while the teeth themselves stay exactly as they are.

Cost and recovery at a glance

Treatments differ in downtime as much as in cost:

Cost depends on the treatment and how much is involved, and is quoted after an exam.

Common questions about gummy smiles

Is fixing a gummy smile permanent?

It depends on the treatment. Gum and bone procedures are long-lasting to permanent, while Botox is temporary and needs repeating every few months.

Does gum contouring hurt?

It is done with numbing, so it is comfortable during the procedure. Expect some tenderness for a few days as the gums heal.

Can veneers fix a gummy smile?

Not on their own. Veneers change the teeth, so they help only when short-looking teeth are part of the cause, often paired with gum contouring rather than used alone.

How much gum is too much?

Showing a few millimeters of gum is normal and attractive to many people. It is worth treating only if it bothers you, and the amount matters less than the cause.

Book a gummy smile consultation

If your smile shows more gum than you would like, an evaluation with Dr. Veytsman identifies the cause and the least invasive way to fix it. Book your consultation.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Reading this article does not create a dentist-patient relationship. Please schedule a consultation with our team to discuss your individual needs.