Gummy Smile Correction
For the perfect smile, the upper lip sits just above the lower edge of the top teeth. For people with a high smile line, when they smile they show too much of their gum above the teeth, creating the gummy smile. This unflattering appearance of highly visible gums when smiling causes many affected people to avoid smiling or even place their hand over their mouth when they smile or laugh. A stressful preoccupation making them unable to enjoy social interactions.
At Castleknock Cosmetic Clinic Dublin we see when some people smile, their upper lip elevates too far above their upper teeth, exposing gums and producing an unattractive “Gummy Smile“. This phenomenon could be due to several factors. One of the reasons is hyperactive muscle which elevates the upper lip. Occasionally, the gummy smile is also aggravated by a thin upper lip that further contributes to the problem by exposing the upper gum even more.
While for most people smiling is an expression of happiness, individuals whose gums stand out more than their smile does often feel self-conscious. Very often those with gummy smiles try to control and minimise their smile and some feel so self-conscious that they prefer not to smile at all. This may have a negative effect on one’s professional, social, and personal relationships.
Thankfully, gummy smile reduction is now possible, simple and effective. Utilising a non-surgical approach by injecting a muscle neurotoxin into the hyperactive muscle of the upper lip. The injection will give you a smile that is natural and carefree. This simple procedure will weaken the hyperactive muscles and reduce the elevation of your upper lip, thereby reducing your inhibiting gummy smile. If a thin upper lip is a contributing factor, we may suggest simultaneous upper lip augmentation with soft volume enhancing lip dermal fillers.
The Procedure
The nationwide and Dublin based clinic procedure takes about 15 minutes. Dr Kahlout will apply a field block local anaesthetic, or plain ice, to numb the area prior to injection. A small amount of the medicine is then injected on each side of the lip to relax the hyperactive muscles’ ability to contract and pull the lip upwards. Within the next 3-4 days elevation of the upper lip is progressively softened and your smile is transformed, showing less gum and giving you the confidence to smile without inhibition.
Toxin Injections for Gummy Smile
Most popular nonsurgical option for gummy smile is muscle relaxing anti-wrinkle injections. Gummy smile happens when muscles lifting the lip are overactive causing you to show more teeth when grinning or saying certain words. Some people are expressive with their mouth and exaggerated upward lip curling is a worry for them. When one smiles they activate lip elevator muscles. At Castleknock Cosmetic Clinic Dublin, toxin injections is aimed to relax those muscles so they can’t lift the lip as vigorously as the non-treated muscles.
The toxin injection works by blocking the chemical signal travelling from your nerves to activate muscle movement. In essence, telling them not to contract. Your new smile will last about four months and you will surely make up for all that time of hiding your smile!
Dermal Fillers
Hyaluronic acids such as Juvederm and Restylane are popular quality dermal fillers for use in the lips. They are made from naturally occurring hyaluronic acid, a substance present in abundance in our skin. Although they too are injected, dermal fillers differently to injected toxin action. Instead of freezing the movement of treated muscles, dermal fillers such as Teosyal and Belotero plump up thin lips. In essence augmenting their size. Dermal fillers work by adding volume to plump up upper and lower lips.
Unlike injected toxin, which doesn’t take effect for several days, dermal filler treatment work immediately and settle better into place over the next few days. The results last for about six to twelve months. Evidence shows repeated administration is associated with longer duration of dermal filler retention.
Combination Gummy Smile Treatment
At Castleknock Cosmetic Clinic Dublin; another option to help minimise upwards lip curling when smiling is to combine both wrinkle injection toxin and lips dermal fillers together. Not everyone wants to enhance the size of their lip, however, most people with gummy smile tend to have lips on the thinner side.
Patients with not too severe showing of the teeth when smiling may want to choose ant wrinkle toxin injection only. While others with moderate thinning of the lips may prefer adding dermal fillers. Thise affected severely with both showing too much teeth and curling of the lips are best served by treating with both injected toxin and dermal fillers at the same time. All these options are thoroughly discussed with the doctor before getting your treatment.
Consultation
During your initial consultation, Dr Kahlout will examine your individual concerns and determine whether this procedure is right for you. There is a fine balance between effective dose and side effects. Too much muscle relaxing toxin is not great around the lips. The muscle relaxing toxin makes them clumsy and may feel heavy. Too little and there is not much noticeable results. A perfect balance individual to every person is a combination of art and science. Knowledge and experience is very important when it comes to avoiding unwanted results.
It is preferable that you temporarily stop taking medications that may cause bleeding. Medications that thin the blood are both over the counter and prescription medications as well as herbal supplements. Vitamins like A and E, aspirin, or aspirin-like ant-inflammatory tablets are best stopped one week before the procedure. By doing so we reduce chances of any minor bruising.
Price Guide
When getting aesthetic injection treatments you’re paying for the service rather than the product. Follow this link to see our current Gummy Smile Price for correction with neuromodulator toxin.
