What Causes a Gummy Smile? What Is Vestibuloplasty for Gummy Gums?

These days, if you turn on TV, there are so many dating reality programs. I even received a casting offer for Single's Inferno before.. haha, so I tend to watch them with even more interest.

Since my job is a dentist, the first things that inevitably catch my eye, even among the cast members' glamorous looks, are their teeth alignment and smiles.

They are truly beautiful and charming people, but sometimes there is just one thing that feels a little disappointing when they smile. That is a gummy smile.

"If only I could fix just that one thing before going on TV,

I would have looked so much prettier..."

In fact, gummy smiles can be corrected more simply than many people think, but there are also many who live with a complex because they do not know the options.

Today, I will honestly explain gummy smiles, where the gums show excessively when smiling, and the three ways to address them: Botox, gum contouring, and vestibuloplasty.

1.What Is a Gummy Smile?

A gummy smile is a term combining Gum and Smile, and it refers to a condition in which the gums are exposed excessively by 3 mm or more when smiling, and in severe cases by more than 1 cm.

This usually applies to people who cover their mouths with their hands when they smile. The causes are broadly divided into three categories.

• Muscle overactivity: This happens when the muscle that lifts the upper lip when smiling is too strong. Even a small smile can pull the lip way up.

• Tooth size issue: This is when the teeth themselves are small or short, so the gums appear more prominent relative to them.

• Oral structure issue (deep vestibule): This is when the space between the inside of the lip and the gums (the oral vestibule) is too deep, leaving too much room for the lip to rise when smiling.

Category	✅ Gummy Smile Botox	✅ Gum Contouring
Recommended for	Cases where the upper lip elevator muscle is too strong when smiling	Cases where the teeth are small or the gums cover the teeth too much
Procedure	Botox is injected near the muscles beside the nose to slightly reduce muscle strength	The gum line is reshaped to restore the teeth's natural size and proportions
Advantages and effects	About 3 weeks after treatment, the lip rises less when smiling and looks much more natural	The teeth appear more clearly larger, and gum exposure is relatively reduced
Disadvantages/notes	The effect is not permanent, so retreatment is needed every 6 months	Precise design is needed, considering possible root exposure

2.Vestibuloplasty

"I'm tired of getting Botox every 6 months."

"My teeth are a normal size, but my gums still show a lot."

For people like this, the procedure I recommend is vestibuloplasty.

Q. What is vestibuloplasty? It is a surgery that makes the depth of the gum area inside the lip (the oral vestibule) shallower.

In simple terms, it is a method that limits how far the lip can rise upward when smiling.

Blanche Vestibuloplasty Procedure

• The vestibular area is incised by about 15 to 20 mm.

• The upper gums and lower mucosa are pulled and sutured together.

• A healing period of about 2 weeks follows.

• Reduced gum exposure: Even when you smile very broadly, the gums do not show excessively and only a moderately attractive amount is visible.

• Increased lip volume: As the previously curled-up lip is corrected, there is also an aesthetic effect that makes the lips look fuller.

"My wedding is in a month. Is that okay?"

Yes, it is possible.

Vestibuloplasty takes effect immediately after surgery, and by about 2 weeks, when the stitches are removed, the swelling subsides and the condition stabilizes.

It is also fully possible for those preparing for wedding photos or an important job interview.

But I cannot simply say it is always good. Vestibuloplasty is also a surgical procedure, so there are things you should know.

⚠️ Tightness after surgery

If the lip used to rise 100 units before, after surgery it will be adjusted to rise only about 70 to 80 units.

So in the early stage after surgery, you may feel a sense of tightness around the philtrum area, or feel that the lip rises less when smiling, which may feel somewhat uncomfortable.

However, this becomes natural as time passes and you adapt.

⚠️ Possibility of recurrence

Vestibuloplasty lasts much longer than Botox, but it is not a permanent surgery.

Our body's soft tissues have the tendency to stretch again, so some recurrence may occur gradually over time.

Still, compared with the hassle of getting Botox repeatedly, it is a much more efficient alternative.

⚠️ Skill of the medical team

Vestibuloplasty is a fairly difficult procedure, so it is not easy to find a dental clinic that actually performs it.

To achieve a clean result without scarring, you should be treated by an experienced medical team.

Do gummy smiles definitely need treatment? Gummy smile is not a disease. It is not something that must be eliminated.

But if you cover your mouth with your hand every time you smile, or if you cannot smile broadly in photos because of it, it may be worth considering treatment.

From simple Botox to definitive vestibuloplasty, there is always a method suited to the patient's condition and needs.

If you want to smile confidently and have questions, please leave a comment and I will answer anytime.

This has been Gangnam Blanche Dental Clinic. Thank you.

Blanche Dental Clinic Chief Director Kim Taehyung
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