Lip Lift/Reduction for tooth show? 38/M (Photos)

In order to improve your smile and show teeth, lip lift may be considered. However, in your case, significant resection of muscle must be considered in order to improve lift. In person or teleconference consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon with expertise in this procedure is recommended. Good luck

Hi, thank you for sharing your photos and being so open about how this is affecting your confidence. From your description, it sounds like the main concern is that your upper lip covers much of your teeth at rest, even after completing braces. This is a common issue that affects not just aesthetics, but also emotional comfort in social settings.
Here’s what’s happening anatomically:


Upper lip length and position: Your upper lip appears to overhang the front teeth by a few millimeters. This naturally limits how much of your teeth show when you smile or at rest.


Tooth positioning: Even after braces, the relative height of your front teeth compared with the rest of your teeth and the lip line can make the smile appear “short.” The fact that your four front teeth sit slightly higher than the others can accentuate the lip covering them.


Muscle and lip dynamics: The muscles around the mouth and nose determine how much the lip moves when you smile. You mentioned that pushing up on your nose exposes more teeth—this shows that the muscle movement is capable, but your resting lip position limits natural tooth show.


Potential ways to address this:


Lip lift (surgical shortening of the philtrum): By shortening the distance between your nose and upper lip, a lip lift can expose more of the upper teeth at rest and improve the natural tooth show when smiling. Since you’re not concerned with fullness, this procedure would be tailored purely for exposure.


Targeted dental adjustments: If the front teeth are higher or shorter relative to the adjacent teeth, veneers or crowns could help harmonize tooth height, making the smile more balanced and visible.


Combination approach: Sometimes the best results come from addressing both the lip position and minor dental adjustments, without needing major jaw surgery.

From what you’ve described, you would likely benefit from a lip lift focused on tooth exposure. This could significantly improve how much your teeth show, both at rest and when smiling, without changing the overall look of your lips.
Your concern is very understandable—having a smile that makes you feel confident can make a huge difference in daily life. There are options to help achieve a more natural tooth show without going into complex jaw surgery.