Gummy Smile: Causes, Gum Contouring and Other Treatment Options

A gummy smile describes a smile in which more gum tissue shows above the upper front teeth than most people consider typical, often making the teeth look shorter than they are. It is not a disease and does not usually cause pain or damage on its own — it is an appearance that some patients would like to change, while others are entirely comfortable with it. Several different things can cause a gummy smile, from the way the gum tissue sits on the tooth to how far the upper lip lifts when you smile, which is why an assessment looks at the smile as a whole before suggesting an option.

A gummy smile can come from the gum tissue itself, the movement of the upper lip, the way the jaw has grown, or a combination of these, and the right approach depends on which one applies to you. Some patients are treated with a straightforward gum contouring procedure that reshapes the gum line in a single visit, while others discuss a longer-term option such as crown lengthening, a temporary muscle-relaxing injection, or, in jaw-related cases, orthodontics or referral for a jaw assessment. Because a gummy smile is a cosmetic concern rather than a medical necessity, treatment is always a personal choice.

Dentists generally describe a smile as gummy when a noticeably wider strip of gum tissue is visible above the upper front teeth on a full, natural smile, rather than at any single fixed measurement. What counts as gummy is partly a matter of proportion and partly a matter of personal preference, which is why two people with a similar amount of visible gum may feel differently about how it looks. The term covers several underlying situations — gum tissue that has not fully receded to its final position, a lip that lifts higher than average, or teeth that look short because of wear or an upper jaw that has grown further down than usual — and telling these apart is the first step in deciding whether, and how, to treat it.

A gummy smile is usually noticed in photographs or in the mirror rather than diagnosed from a single symptom, but a few patterns are common:

If any of these describes your smile and you are curious about your options, a free online consultation is a simple first step — send a smile photo and our dentists reply with an initial view on what might be involved.

A gummy smile usually comes from one, or a combination, of these:

More than one of these can apply at the same time, which is why an assessment looks at the lip, the gum line and the jaw together rather than treating the gum alone by default.

There is no urgency to see a dentist purely because you would like a less gummy smile — it is a cosmetic question you can raise whenever it suits you. It is worth booking an appointment sooner, though, if the gum tissue itself looks red, swollen or bleeds when you brush, since active gum inflammation is treated as a gum health matter first and can itself change how much gum shows once it settles. A dentist will also want to see you if the amount of visible gum has changed noticeably in recent months, since a change is more informative than the amount on its own.

The assessment usually starts with a close look at your smile in photographs and in person, comparing how much gum shows on a relaxed smile against a full, natural one. The dentist measures the gum around the front teeth and checks the underlying bone level with gentle probing, since this distinguishes gum tissue that simply needs reshaping from a case where the bone level also needs adjusting. Where the jaw itself may be contributing, an X-ray or further imaging can help confirm whether the upper jaw's growth is playing a role, and whether a referral for a jaw assessment is worth discussing.

Our process starts with a free online consultation: send a smile photo and our dentists, working with Dt. Ertan Ömerov, reply with an initial view of what is likely involved before you book anything.

A gummy smile is an appearance, not a disease, so treatment is always a matter of personal choice rather than medical necessity. Many people live with a gummy smile without any treatment at all and have no gum health issues from it. Some choose treatment because it bothers them in photographs or when speaking; others only look into it once they are already planning veneers or crowns and want the gum line addressed at the same time. If the gum tissue itself is inflamed or bleeding, that is treated as a gum health issue in its own right, separately from any cosmetic decision about how much gum shows.

The right option depends on which cause applies to you, and more than one route is often on the table:

Which of these applies to you is confirmed after an examination, not from a description alone.

Real patients

Before and After at Er Dental Clinic

Photos of Er Dental Clinic patients treated for a gummy smile. Every case is different — ask us to see cases similar to yours.

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A gummy smile is often considered alongside a wider cosmetic plan, and both of the pages below are a natural next step.

As a general pattern, when extra gum tissue over the teeth is the main cause, gum contouring is usually the first option discussed; when the upper lip's own movement is the bigger factor, lip-related options such as botulinum toxin are considered instead; and when the upper jaw's growth appears to be involved, a referral for a jaw assessment may be the more realistic route. These patterns are a starting point only — several causes can overlap, and your dentist confirms which applies to you after an examination.

Gum contouring and botulinum toxin are sometimes discussed as alternatives, but they work in different ways and often suit different causes.

At Er Dental Clinic, a gummy smile is assessed by Dt. Ertan Ömerov, whose background is in periodontology and implantology, together with our cosmetic dentistry team where a combined plan is being considered. The process starts with a free online consultation: send a smile photo and you receive an initial view of the likely cause before travelling. At the clinic, a clinical examination — and imaging where the jaw may be involved — confirms which option, from gum contouring to a referral for a jaw assessment, is realistic for your smile, with the proposed plan and cost set out in writing before treatment begins.

The clinic holds an International Health Tourism Authorization Certificate issued by the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health (certificate no. ST-6264), which you can verify on the e-Devlet document verification service at turkiye.gov.tr/saglik-bakanligi-ebys.

Send us a smile photo on WhatsApp, or through a free online consultation. Our dentists review it and reply with an initial view on what is likely involved — gum contouring, crown lengthening or another option — so you can decide with confidence, or simply get in touch with any questions first.