I am in my 20s and hate to smile. For years I have held my hand over my mouth when I smile. Why? Because when I smile you see my teeth and a lot of my gums. It looks ugly. What can be done?
What you describe could very well be what we call ‘a gummy smile’. This happens many times when you have a short upper lip. When you smile you usually only show your upper teeth, maybe very little of your gums.
Your smile line and lips need to be properly evaluated. We have procedures to lengthen your upper lip, relaxing your lip muscles. These are plastic surgery procedures which can make a big difference in your smile.
Another possible reason your gums show when you smile is if your gums are down on the enamel of your teeth. This would mean your teeth look short. By removing this excess gum tissue it will make a big difference in your smile.
Have it checked out so you can be happy with your smile.
Years ago I had some implants placed and they have held up well and I can eat just about anything. But now on one of my implants the gum is receding . Should I worry?
Make sure you have it looked at because if you can see the implant threads it means the gum has receded but also the bone housing the implant is being lost. You need to find out what is causing this loss. It may be your hygiene, or your bite habits.
If there is pocketing around the implant then the area needs to be treated so no more bone is lost. This may require gum grafting and bone regeneration around the implant. Getting a good result isn’t always easy so don’t let it get too far along.
Dr. Kessler’s office is located at Town Center One, 8950 S.W. 74 Court, Suite 1201, directly across from Dadeland Mall. He may be reached at 305-670-3800 or online at Lkgums@aol.com or www.WeSaveSmiles.com.
