Gingival smile Dr Rajaonarivelo, plastic surgery

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Botox® or botulinum toxin injection

Botox® injections aim to decrease wrinkles and fine lines at rest and not freeze the face. The facial expressions are retained after treatment carried out correctly, thus producing a natural result.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is naturally present in the skin and acts like a natural sponge, trapping water. Saturated with water, the skin is plumped.

The gums are an essential part of our mouth, but they are generally hidden by the lips when we smile. However, this is not the case for some people and the gum tissue is exposed resulting in what is known as a gummy smile, which modifies the esthetics of the smile and the face.

It is in no way dangerous to your health, but people with a gummy smile can feel embarrassed and uncomfortable when they smile, even more so now with selfies being so commonplace on social networks.

A gummy smile can be caused by:

Gum enlargement

One of the causes of a gummy smile is an overdevelopment of the gum, which will thus cover the teeth. The teeth seem shorter as the gums cover too much enamel. Overdeveloped gums are generally genetic, but can also be caused by taking certain drugs or due to an inflammation of the gums (gingivitis, periodontitis).

Hyperactivity of the levator muscle of the upper lip.

It is possible to have what is known as a hyperactive upper lip: the muscles that control the skin located under the nose lift the lip too far, thus exposing the gums even more. It is generally genetic, with no effect on health but often resulting in hang-ups and people thus looking to rectify it to make their smile more attractive. Targeted botulinum toxin injections in the levator muscle of the upper lip can improve a gummy smile.

Furthermore, a very thin upper lip can result in a slight gummy smile, which can be decreased using volumizing hyaluronic acid injections.
Poor positioning of the teeth or very small teeth.

How the teeth and jaw developed can result in a gummy smile, for instance, if the upper jaw juts out, if the teeth are misaligned or if the teeth are too small. In this case, the treatment will be carried out by a dentist.