How Good Does It Work a Lip Lowering for Gummy Smile? is Better Than a Maxillary Surgery?

Before proceeding to surgery, consider botox in the upper lip.  A small amount (4-8 units) can lengthen the upper lip, reducing the amount of gum that shows when you smile.  This is a temporary (and relatively inexpensive and noninvasive) solution.

There are a couple options that you have. One non surgical option would be using a TAD. This is an anchorage device that intrudes the maxillary dentition causing you to have a far less gummy smile. Another option would be a gingivectomy, which would remove some of the gums causing there to be more symmetry between the gums and the teeth. I recommend a consultation with a Periodontist to go over all the options available to you.

Aggressive incision and partial excisionof the muscle of the upper part of the lip at the gum junction will achieved a long term result but will lead to static upper lip.

In my experience an intraoral repositioning of the upper lip is the least invasive and most beneficial in correction of the "gummy smile" problem. Combining repositioning with myotomy of the lip levator muscles works well. Use of botox for this purpose I would discourage because assymetry of expression is not uncommon with such injection and could be problematic.

Botox can also lower your lip and correct the gummy smile. It is such a simple correction that it would be worth a try before you go to surgery. My patients have all been amazed that I could correct their gummy smile so easily. It doesn't take much, usually less than 10 units and only a short time. If it doesn't give you enough correction and you still need help with your bite, then proceed with surgery.

An intraoral lip lowering procedure (excising a strip of the gum at the top where it meets the lip) works best to correct your problem.