This Treatment Will Fix a Gummy Smile–And It’s Not Surgery

A gummy smile can be surprisingly hard on the self-esteem.

When you’ve got a gummy smile, you’re apt to smile with a bit less gusto than those around you–giving others the impression you’re just not very expressive.

Which is why a non-surgical method to deal with a gummy smile can be a real game changer.

How’s it done? Botox.

Botox vs. the Surgical Option

The traditional method to deal with a gummy smile is what’s known as a gingivectomy. This is largely what it sounds like. Extra tissue in the gums is surgically removed.

While the surgery itself is not extremely painful, it can be quite frightening–especially because patients are typically kept awake for the procedure. Anesthesia or not, the patient would be aware of the scalpel removing parts of their gums.

And the recovery period, though not necessarily long (about a week) the first few days after surgery can be quite painful.

Botox, meanwhile, is a completely painless procedure. All the usual advantages of Botox apply here: it’s generally more affordable and is reversible.

Fear of a Frozen Face?

Unfortunately, many would be patients shy away from Botox out of a fear of having their face frozen in place. So the fear goes, Botox is a neurotoxin that paralyzes the muscles it’s used on.

So will those who hoping to get rid of their gummy smile get rid of their ability to express those higher ranges of emotion at all?

Not at all. Botox, in this scenario, would only be applied to the over active muscles that lead to a “gummy smile.” In fact, those who get the procedure would be able to flash their widest smile without fear–wider than they could before.

Interested in the procedure? Were you considering a gingivectomy but now might go the Botox route instead?

It’s important to be armed with information to make the best decision. Call the Cosmetic Dermatology Center today to schedule your cosmetic consultation.