A gummy smile, or a high lip line, is when the lip rests high on the gums when we smile.
While every smile is beautiful, many people who show a lot of gum when they smile don’t like how it looks and would feel more confident to smile If their lipline was lower.
The typically ‘ideal smile’ would expose no more than 2mm of gum when the upper lip raises. A gummy smile, however, generally exposes 3mm or more of gum tissue and can be a source of low confidence for those affected.
While there are surgical dental procedures available to treat a gummy smile, many people prefer to take a more conservative approach, this is where the gummy smile treatment comes in. We can safely and effectively treat a gummy smile using Botulinum Toxin injections to reduce muscle activity around the upper lip, resulting in less movement and reducing the amount of gum that is shown.
A Lip Flip is another non-surgical treatment carried out using Botulinum Toxin. This treatment essentially ‘flips’ the upper lip outward, giving the appearance of a fuller lip. The lip flip has gained huge popularity over recent years, with many now choosing this over lip fillers. A lip flip can be used to alter the lip line, as with the gummy smile treatment, it is also possible that a lip flip will reduce the amount of gum that shows when we smile. A lip flip can prevent the upper lip from ‘disappearing’ when we smile.
As both gummy smile and lip flip are treatments that use Botulinum Toxin, the results will not be visible right away. We have found that these treatments around the mouth area can often start to kick in a bit quicker than when treating other areas of the face, so you may start to notice results from 3-5 days, with maximum results seen from 10-14 days.
Both the gummy smile and lip flip treatments are extremely quick procedures, the actual treatment takes no more than 10 minutes to complete. Anaesthetic is not required for either treatment as they are both so quick. Some people prefer a bit of numbing cream before a lip flip as the placement of the injections can mean you feel a tiny pinch, but this is over in seconds.
If you have been considering this type of treatment, we would recommend attending a consultation, at which stage we will be able to assess your suitability and recommend personalised treatment options for you. You may be suitable if:
Lip fillers may be more suitable for those looking to increase the size of their lips and add volume. If you’d prefer to define the lip or alter its shape, lip filler is also the treatment of choice. Lip filler will be a better choice for those who would like to also treat lines in the lips and make them appear smoother.
1st Floor, 5-7 Belmore Street
Enniskillen
Co Fermanagh BT746AA
Email us: marketing@belmoredental.co.uk
Call us: 028 6632 9222
