A gummy smile, where too much gum shows above the upper teeth, can affect your confidence. It’s often due to genetics, a hyperactive upper lip, or how your teeth have grown. Luckily, there are treatments to help reduce a gummy smile and improve your smile’s appearance
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Treatment options
Treatments for a gummy smile
Find out more about the treatments we use to fix a gummy smile, and book at your nearest clinic.
Invisalign
When tooth position causes the gummy smile. From £2,199.
Available at Fleet Street · Notting Hill · Harrods · Manchester
Porcelain veneers
Lengthens short teeth after gum treatment. £995 per tooth.
Available at Fleet Street · Notting Hill · Harrods · Manchester
Now Available
What is a gummy smile?
A gummy smile (dentists call it excessive gingival display) is when more gum than usual shows above your top teeth when you smile. There is no strict cut-off, but most people notice it when more than about 3 to 4 mm of gum shows. It is harmless, but many people feel self-conscious and smile less in photos.
What causes a gummy smile?
- An upper lip that lifts high: a short or very active upper lip rises further than average when you smile. This is the most common cause, and the one Botox treats.
- Gum covering too much of the teeth: the gums never moved up fully as the adult teeth came in, so teeth look short and square. Gum contouring or crown lengthening fixes this.
- Tooth position: front teeth that have drifted down, or a deep bite, bring the gum line lower. Invisalign can correct this.
- Jaw growth: in some people the upper jaw grew longer than average. Severe cases may need jaw surgery.
- Worn teeth or swollen gums: worn-down teeth, gum inflammation or some medicines can make more gum show.
Many people have more than one cause, which is why we check carefully before recommending treatment.
How to fix a gummy smile
The right treatment depends on what is causing your gummy smile. These are the options we use, from the simplest to the most involved:
Gummy smile Botox
If your upper lip lifts too high, a few tiny injections relax the lip muscles so less gum shows. It takes minutes, with no downtime, and lasts around 3 to 4 months. More on this below.
Gum contouring (gum lift)
If your gums cover too much of your teeth, we remove a thin band of gum to reveal more of each tooth and even out the gum line. It is done in one visit under local anaesthetic, and most people are back to normal within a few days. The result is usually permanent.
Crown lengthening
If the bone sits too close to the gum line, removing gum alone is not enough, because it would grow back. Crown lengthening reshapes a small amount of bone as well as gum. Healing takes a few weeks, and the result is permanent.
Invisalign
If your gummy smile comes from tooth position or a deep bite, clear aligners can move the teeth into a better position, which changes how much gum shows. Invisalign starts from £3,199.
Veneers or bonding
Once the gum line is corrected, short or worn teeth can be lengthened with veneers or composite bonding, so your teeth and gums look in proportion.
Lip repositioning and jaw surgery
For severe gummy smiles caused by jaw growth, we will refer you to a specialist surgeon. These cases are uncommon.
Can a gummy smile be improved naturally?
Not really. Lip exercises are often suggested online, but there is no good evidence they work, and nothing done at home can change your gums, bone or teeth.
Botox for a gummy smile
Gummy smile Botox is the quickest and simplest fix when the cause is an upper lip that lifts too high. A few tiny injections relax the muscles that pull the lip up, so less gum shows. You can still smile normally; your lip just doesn’t rise as far.
- Appointment: a few minutes, with no downtime. You can go straight back to work.
- Results: start to show within a few days, with the full effect after about 2 weeks.
- How long it lasts: usually around 3 to 4 months, after which you can repeat it.
- Price: from £150 (one treatment area).
- Who it suits: people whose lip lifts high. It won’t help if your gums cover too much of your teeth, which needs gum contouring instead.
- Safety: Botox is a prescription medicine, so you will always have a face-to-face consultation first. It is only for adults over 18. Side effects such as a slightly uneven smile or bruising are uncommon and wear off.
Gum contouring vs crown lengthening
Both treatments reveal more of your teeth by raising the gum line. The difference is whether bone needs reshaping too, which we check with an X-ray at your consultation.
| Gum contouring | Crown lengthening | |
|---|---|---|
| What is removed | Gum only | Gum and a small amount of bone |
| Best for | Gums covering too much of the teeth, with bone at a normal level | Bone close to the gum line, or a tooth that needs a crown |
| Anaesthetic | Local | Local |
| Healing | A few days | A few weeks |
| Result | Usually permanent | Permanent |
| Price | £75 per tooth | From £250 per tooth |
Pricing
How much does gummy smile treatment cost?
Your first consultation is free. Larger treatments can be spread over 24 months at 0% finance.
Free consultations · 0% finance over 24 months
Gummy smile Botox
from£150
An upper lip that lifts too high, lasts around 3 to 4 months
Gum contouring
£75
Per tooth. Gums covering too much of the teeth
Crown lengthening
from£250
Per tooth. Excess gum where bone also needs reshaping
Invisalign
from£2,199
Gummy smile caused by tooth position or a deep bite
Jaw surgery
Specialist referral
Severe cases caused by jaw growth
See every treatment and price on our pricing page.
Gummy smile questions
What is a gummy smile?
A gummy smile is when more gum than usual shows above your top teeth when you smile, usually more than about 3 to 4 mm. Dentists call it excessive gingival display. It is harmless and very treatable.
What causes a gummy smile?
The most common cause is an upper lip that lifts higher than average. Others are gums that cover too much of the teeth, tooth position or a deep bite, and an upper jaw that grew longer than average. Many people have more than one cause.
How do you fix a gummy smile?
It depends on the cause. Botox treats a lip that lifts too high, gum contouring or crown lengthening treats excess gum, Invisalign treats tooth position, and severe jaw-related cases may need surgery. We check which applies to you at a free consultation.
Does Botox work for a gummy smile?
Yes, when the cause is an upper lip that lifts too high. A few small injections relax the lip muscles so less gum shows. It will not help if your gums cover too much of your teeth.
How long does gummy smile Botox last?
Usually around 3 to 4 months. You see the first changes within a few days and the full effect after about 2 weeks. It can then be repeated.
How much does gummy smile treatment cost?
At Rüh Dental, gummy smile Botox costs from £150, gum contouring is £75 per tooth and crown lengthening is from £250 per tooth. Invisalign starts from £3,199. Your consultation is free.
Is gum contouring painful?
The area is numbed with local anaesthetic, so you should not feel pain during treatment. The gums may feel tender for a few days afterwards, which ordinary painkillers usually manage.
Is a gum lift permanent?
Gum contouring is usually permanent when the bone underneath is at a normal level. If the bone is too close to the gum line, the gum can grow back, which is why some people need crown lengthening instead.
Can Invisalign or braces fix a gummy smile?
Yes, if your gummy smile is caused by tooth position or a deep bite. Moving the teeth changes the gum line and how much gum shows. Invisalign at Rüh Dental starts from £3,199.
Can lip filler fix a gummy smile?
Lip filler can add a little fullness to the upper lip, which may cover slightly more gum, but it does not stop the lip lifting. On its own it is rarely the best fix, and Botox is usually more effective.
Can a gummy smile be improved without treatment?
There is no reliable natural fix. Lip exercises are often suggested online, but there is no good evidence they work, and nothing done at home can change your gums, bone or teeth.
Are gummy smiles genetic?
Often, yes. The shape of your jaw, lip and teeth runs in families, so a gummy smile can too.
Start Your Smile Journey Today
At Rüh Dental, we do things differently. We call it the Rüh difference.
We believe in better than the traditional dentistry of yesteryear that’s left a legacy of fear and therefore neglect because of historic experiences.
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Ruh Dental (Fleet Street) Limited (09473949), Ruh Dental (Notting Hill Gate) Limited (10288078) and Ruh Dental (Manchester) Limited (11669648) are registered in England. Registered office: 1st Floor Metropolitan House, Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG.
