What will help my top teeth show more? (Photo)

Question

When i talk or smile my top teeth dont show. I feel like i really have to strain to smile. When i lift my nose up you can see them a lot better

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

Thank you for sharing the photo. Based on what I see and your description, it looks like your upper teeth are not very visible when you smile or speak, which can be due to a few common reasons:

Lip length and mobility: If your upper lip is slightly longer or doesn’t lift easily when you smile, it can cover your teeth.

Tooth exposure/position: Sometimes the front teeth are shorter than average or angled slightly down, which reduces visibility.

Muscle tone or smile dynamics: The muscles that lift your upper lip may be less active or may not naturally lift your lip far enough.

Potential approaches to improve visibility:

Dental options:

Veneers or bonding: Adding slight length to the front teeth can make them more visible.

Orthodontics: If the teeth are angled or positioned back, braces or aligners can improve the display.

Cosmetic procedures:

Botox for a gummy smile (if overactive lip muscles are involved) or lip lift (surgical shortening of the upper lip) can help show more teeth naturally.

Smile training: Sometimes practicing a “full smile” using exercises to lift the upper lip can help, though the effect is subtle.

From your description, it seems like a lip lift or slight tooth lengthening might give you the most noticeable improvement without straining your muscles.

If you want, I can give a visual estimate of what changes like 1–2 mm of tooth lengthening or a minor lip lift could look like on your photo so you can see the difference before considering options.

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

You would benefit from an eccentric lip lift. This does 4 things: shortens the distance between your nose and upper lip, increases the mucosa of the upper lip, increases the incisor show and pulls up the corners. This takes about 1 hour to perform under local anesthesia and costs $4,000.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

In your case, a  lip lift procedure with resection of the upper, sub -nasal portion of orbicularis oris muscle will be appropriate to create more teeth show. Good luck.

Nelson Lee Novick, MD · Answer

The use of microdroplets of Botox at a couple sites to the sides of the base of the columella along with the use of medium viscosity HA filler at the base of the columella can be used to provide lift to the base of the nose. This would  be a very quick and simple nonsurgical approach to attempting to achieve your desired goal. You would be wise to consult with an experienced, board certified cosmetic dermatologist injector expert and best of luck.

What will help my top teeth show more? (Photo)

Answers (4)

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