How to Treat a Gummy Smile with Botox Injections
Your smile is your signature. But what happens when your gums steal the show? A gummy smile, also known as excessive gingival display, is a common cosmetic concern that can make people self-conscious about their looks. When gums are too prominent while smiling, they can overshadow the teeth and make them look short.
While there are various ways to address a gummy smile, Botox injections have emerged as a popular and minimally invasive solution. Let’s explore how Botox for gummy smile works and what you can expect from the procedure.
Gummy Smile Correction Options
There’s nothing wrong with you if you have excessive gingival display. Many people show a lot of gum tissue when they smile. However, toothy smiles tend to be more aesthetically appealing. If you’re unhappy with how gummy your mouth looks when you’re smiling, it’s perfectly fine to want to make a change.
When it comes to correcting excessive gingival display, you have a variety of treatment options you can choose from. They include:
- Veneers
- Gingivectomy
- Root planing and scaling
- Dental crown lengthening
- Jaw or lip surgery
- Braces
The problem with many of the above treatments is that they are invasive, painful, and require long treatment or healing times. If you’d rather not go through the pain or expense of surgery, braces, or some of these other options, Botox injections make a great alternative. They’re quick, have a long history of safe use, and offer predictable results.
Why Do Some People Have a Gummy Smile?
A gummy smile is a condition in which the upper lip appears pulled far up, revealing excessive gum tissue when a person smiles. While it’s not detrimental to overall health, it can damage confidence.
There are numerous reasons why some people have a gummy smile. Genetics, excessive gum tissue, a short upper lip, and an overactive upper lip muscle can cause this condition. Multiple factors may be at play in some cases, making a gummy smile look worse.
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How Does Botox Improve a Gummy Smile?
Botox has become a sought-after solution for improving a gummy smile. It relaxes the overactive muscles in the upper lip that cause excessive gum exposure. However, when Botox goes into the lip muscles, it temporarily weakens them. As a result, your upper lip won’t lift as high as it normally would. This leads to a more balanced smile that shows less gum tissue and more teeth.1
Gummy smile Botox injections are quick and minimally invasive. You’ll usually be in and out of the clinic within a few minutes. Our specialists inject small amounts of Botox into the upper lip using a tiny needle. The injections shouldn’t cause much discomfort or require downtime. Patients can return to their usual routines right after the procedure.
Botox Lip Flip Benefits
Botox gummy smile injections require little to no downtime. Though you don’t want to engage in a strenuous workout right after treatment, you should be able to immediately resume most daily activities. Though Botox injections don’t last forever, it’s easy to maintain your results by simply receiving periodic injections. Here are some additional Botox lip flip benefits:
- Fast treatment times (usually around 10 minutes)
- No surgical scars or incisions
- More beautiful smile
- Fuller and more defined upper lip
Lip flip results are natural-looking and subtle. Most people will notice your smile looks radiant, but they may not be able to pinpoint what’s different.
What Before and After Results Can I Expect?*
Our patients’ before and after photos demonstrate the efficacy of Botox for gummy smiles. Before the treatment, people’s upper lips raise too far when they smile. After, their smiles look more natural, with less gum tissue showing. Overall, the smiles post-treatment looks more balanced and aesthetically pleasing. As with any cosmetic treatment, personal results are unique.*
How to Prepare for Your Appointment
Botox is a minimally invasive procedure that’s fairly straightforward. It has a long history of safe use when administered by a qualified injector. But there are still some steps you’ll want to take before your appointment to ensure everything goes smoothly. Here’s a brief timeline to help you have the best treatment experience:
1 Week Before Your Appointment
- Stop taking anti-inflammatory drugs and blood thinners such as vitamin E, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, omega-3, St. Johns Wart, and ginseng.
- Increase your consumption of vitamin-K-rich foods such as leafy green vegetables, blueberries, and broccoli. These will help minimize any post-injection swelling and bruising.
- Consider taking Arnica creams and supplements. These may help decrease the likelihood of swelling, bruising, and pain after your injections.
48 Hours Before Your Appointment
- Stop smoking cigarettes. Tobacco can interfere with your body’s ability to heal and may also increase your likelihood of bruising.
- Stop drinking alcohol. Consuming alcohol can thin your blood and cause you to experience worse bruising from your Botox injections.
- Stay hydrated. Your body will respond much more favorably to Botox injections if you’re well-hydrated.
What to Expect From Your Botox for Gummy Smile Treatment
The first thing we’ll do when you arrive for your Botox for gummy smile appointment is help you get comfortable. We’ll encourage you to let us know if you have any questions. We’ll also explain the injection process to you so there are no surprises. Next, we’ll mark the treatment area and apply a topical numbing cream.
Once the area is numb, we’ll inject Botox into the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle. This is the muscle that lifts the upper lip when you smile and speak. Injecting the muscle with Botox will help to relax and lower the upper lip so less of your teeth show when you smile.
We usually inject anywhere between two and five units in each side of the lip for women. Men may need more units of Botox because their muscles are bigger and thicker. The bigger the muscles, the more Botox is required to get the desired outcome.
The entire Botox for gummy smile process usually takes about 10-15 minutes. You don’t need to take time off work afterward. You’ll be able to go right back to your normal daily activities. To keep your non-gummy smile for the long term, we recommend receiving regular maintenance Botox treatments. Many of our patients report that after receiving regular Botox treatments, they eventually require fewer treatments to maintain their results.
How Many Units Does a Typical Botox Lip Flip Involve?
The number of units required for a Botox lip flip can vary depending on your anatomy and the severity of your gummy smile. Most people only need one or two units to fix their gummy smile.
Schedule a consultation with Revenge MD and we can determine the precise number of units you need.
Can I Use Botox to Lift My Upper Lip?
Botox is a promising treatment for lifting the upper lip and improving its appearance. When injected into the muscles that are responsible for pulling the lip down, patients enjoy a lifted, more youthful upper lip.
What Is the Typical Cost of a Lip Flip?
The cost of a lip flip can vary depending on several factors:
- Provider’s location
- Provider’s expertise
- Patient’s cosmetic goals
- Number of Botox units required
While the cost of a Botox lip flip is a noteworthy consideration, it’s essential to choose a provider based on their expertise. An experienced provider will be able to customize the treatment according to your needs and help you achieve the best possible results.
The best way to find out how much a lip flip will cost you is to schedule a free consultation with Revenge MD. One of our specialists will assess your current condition, learn about your cosmetic goals, and devise an appropriate treatment plan. The treatment plan will outline all the costs involved.
Are Gummy Smile Botox Results Long-Lasting?
One of the biggest advantages of using Botox to treat a gummy smile is that the results are temporary but long-lasting.2 Patients often enjoy top-notch results for three to four months. Some people use Botox to get an idea of what they look like with their gummy smile fixed before pursuing a more permanent solution. Overall, Botox is a safe and low-risk option for improving a gummy smile.
When Will I See the Improvement from Botox for Gummy Smile?
While some people notice a subtle improvement right after their treatment, most need to wait for a couple of days to see Botox for gummy smile results. Complete results should be noticeable within two weeks. You may need to return for additional injections depending on your desired results.
How Do I Care for My Smile After Botox?
In general, Botox procedures require minimal downtime. Patients can return to their routine right after the treatment. But there are a few precautions to keep in mind during the first 24 hours after receiving injections:
- Avoid intense physical activity
- Refrain from touching the treated area(s)
- Don’t sleep with your face down
Slight bruising may occur during the healing process. You may cover it up with makeup if needed. After your appointment, we’ll provide thorough aftercare instructions and schedule follow-up sessions to monitor your progress.
Potential Side Effects of Botox Treatments
Though Botox is generally very safe, it may cause side effects in some people. The most common side effects include localized bruising, swelling, redness, and tenderness. These should go away within a few days.
Rarer and more serious complications include allergic reactions, unintended muscle paralysis, and infection. Seeing a qualified provider for your injections can reduce your risk of experiencing complications like these.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Gummy Smile Botox?
While Botox is an effective treatment option for some gummy smile patients, it may not be suitable for everyone. If you have significant excess gum tissue, you may need a more invasive treatment like crown lengthening to achieve impressive results.
Gummy smile Botox makes the most sense if you:
- Have realistic expectations and understand the treatment isn’t permanent
- Are in good overall health
- Aren’t pregnant or breastfeeding
- Aren’t allergic to botulinum toxin
- Have an overactive upper lip muscle
Botox for Gummy Smile in Henderson, Las Vegas, and Reno, NV
Do you feel self-conscious about your gummy smile? Does it prevent you from fully expressing yourself? Then, visit Revenge MD in Nevada. Men and women in Henderson, Las Vegas, and Reno, NV, trust us with their cosmetic procedures. As a premier provider of Botox in Las Vegas, and Botox in Reno,NV our team uses modern technologies, equipment, and cutting-edge techniques to deliver results you’ll love. Schedule a free consultation by calling (775) 848-3730 (Henderson/Las Vegas) or (775) 983-5630 (Reno).