A “gummy” smile is when someone’s gum tissue is visible above their teeth when they smile—this can also cause the appearance of small teeth. Many individuals struggle with this dental issue, but you can enhance the look of natural teeth with a few solutions. The following cosmetic solutions to fix the appearance of small teeth work great for restoring your smile.
What Causes a “Gummy” Smile?
There are many reasons why your smile might appear more “gummy.” For one, smaller teeth, with more gums, is a hereditary trait that can be passed from generation to generation—so, if a parent has a gummy smile, chances are you will too. However, teeth can become smaller due to erosion or a bad bite that causes the upper jaw to protrude.
Dental Bonding
One of the less invasive techniques to fix the appearance of small teeth is a treatment called dental bonding. This procedure will involve a professional dentist applying composite resin to the bottom half of your teeth. The dentist will then sculpt and shape the resin to make your teeth look as natural as possible. The resin they use will also match the color of your enamel, so family and friends won’t even know you have dental bonding!
Gum Recontouring
Some teeth might be normal-sized but appear smaller because the gum line is further down. You can fix this by removing a small portion of the gums to expose more of the teeth. Your cosmetic dental service will use a dental laser to gently remove excess tissue and reshape your gums.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are dental prosthetics that fit over your natural teeth to mask imperfections you do not like. Besides disguising smaller teeth, veneers can also cover discoloration, chips, or cracks in your teeth. This is a great solution that will give you results immediately.
Crown Restorations
The last cosmetic solution to fix the appearance of small teeth includes crown restorations. Smaller teeth can be weaker, leading to a slew of other problems. You can solve this issue by asking your dentist to apply crown covers over your teeth to help with size and prevent additional damage.
If you don’t like your smaller teeth, there are several solutions you can choose to change them! Speak with your dental provider to see which solution could benefit your oral health the most.