Can Lip Injections Cause Upper Lip to Cover Teeth While Smiling?

Lip enhancement procedures are more complex in nature than one might assume.  The outcomes are not a simple matter of just injecting filler to make them look bigger.  The right results are not only contingent on quantitative factors like dosage, but also on the different injection zones on the lips. The practitioner needs to be mindful of balance, symmetry aesthetics and how these principles are applicable to the patient’s requests. Also it is important that the results look natural.  Hyaluronic fillers like Juvederm are good choices as far as this is concerned. There are ways to get a lip enhancement procedure without the top lip covering your teeth. However this really depends on the physician’s artistic ability and overall skill. Be sure to choose someone with board certification who has before and after pictures that are demonstrative of these qualities.

Lip  injections can increase volume of the lip such that there can be cover of the upper teeth with smiling. This can be a desired effect for patient who have gummy smiles or show of their gums with smiling.   Ultimately you have to discuss your goals with your treating physician.  You can enhance lips with augmentation of mid lip which increases overall lip volume. You can inject along the vermilion border of the lip which frames and defines the lip. Finally you can inject along the wet lip dry lip junction which increase the length  and everts the lips.  An experienced injector will be able to  utilize the above techniques to optimize your lip configuration.

A trained injector who has performed many lip injection augmentations would be able to work with you and contour the lips to your desired fullness.  It is important to realize that when we discuss the aesthetic proportions of the lips, the upper lip should have 1/3 of the fullness and the lower lip should have 2/3 of the fullness.  I see too many people walkin around with "trout pout" or an upper lip that is overly plumped and filled.  Talk to your doctor about your wishes prior to the procedure.

Experienced lip injectors who understand and appreciate the lip anatomy and proportions (upper to lower) should be able to achieve excellent results for lip augmentation.  If in the right hands, concerns that you have mentioned can be avoided. I recommend you consult a board-certified dermatologist or facial plastic surgeon for consultation.  Good luck!

Fillers can be used to fill the lips and also cover the gums a bit and the upper portion of the teeth for some individuals.