How to lip plumping
How The Minimize A Gummy Smile
N
o one likes to show a gummy smile. Are you unhappy about it? In the ideal smile, the upper lip sits just at or above the top of the teeth.
There are effective and safe methods you can follow to enhance your smile.
TEMPORARY METHODS
1. Botox injections:Using this method, botox is injected on both sides of your vertical columns situated under your nose- known as the philtrum. When Botox is injected into the upper lip muscle, it relaxes your upper lip. As a result, less gum is exposed when you smile because your lip muscle is semi-paralyzed. This method costs between $200-300 and it lasts about 3 months. A negative aspect of this method is that it lengthens the upper lip. When you relax a muscle, it tends to hang loose. Most people consider a long upper lip is a sign of aging
BOTOX INJECTIONS TO THE UPPER LIP
2. Lip Filler Injections: Using this method, a gel-like clear substance such as Perlane or Juvaderm is injected in your upper lip. When doing so, this method augments the height of the upper lip slightly. As a result, less gum will be showing when you smile. The cost for this method can be very expensive. Depending on how thick you want your upper lip height to be, the cost starts at $1,000 and goes up from there. The look lasts between 4 to 6 months.
3. Lip Plumper Suction Devices: If you have a thin upper lip, lip plumper devices such as CandyLipz can minimize your gummy smile by increasing the upper lip height. The CandyLipz method may be able to double or triple the height of your upper lip. The look lasts for up to 2 hours. Users need touch ups 2 to 3 times daily to maintain their look. It is 100% natural and the cost is just $69.99 for a one time purchase.
PERMANENT METHODS
If the temporary methods are not for you, there are permanent methods! These methods are mild to aggressively invasive. They cut your skin and saw your bones. You can view the videos below if you can stomach them. The current successful methods are as follows:
1. Gum Lifting Procedure (gingivectomy): If you do not have big teeth, this method may be for you. Do note that as we age, our teeth will appear larger because our gum lines recede. If you chose this method, know that your teeth will appear to look larger and larger with age. No one wants to have ‘horse teeth’. Thus, you must consider your options carefully. In this method, the gum line is raised so more of your teeth are showing. As a result, slightly less gum will be seen. It is crucial to know that the change is very minor. Typically, the gum line can only safely be raised by 2-3 mm. The cost may be between$1,000 to $2,000.
GUM LIFT SURGERY
2. Lip Repositioning Surgery: This is a mildly-invasive surgical procedure where the inside of the upper lip is cut to remove a small strip of skin and the exposed cut is then sutured into the gum. The procedure generally takes about 30-45 minutes. The minor downside with this procedure is that the doctor can only remove a small amount of tissue of the inner upper lip. You might have to do the Gum Lifting procedure as well. Cost is a huge consideration here. The cost for lip repositioning starts at $3,000.
LIP REPOSITIONING SURGERY
3. Othodonist Gum Screws Method: These procedures can be quite expensive. The cost varies from doctor to doctor. The average cost is $6,000. This is a procedure where you get braces and at the same time, your dentist uses screws to shift and push your upper jaw upward. As a result, the gum is less exposed visually.
ORTHODONTIST GUM SCREWS METHOD
4. Upper Jaw Surgical Method: If you have an extremely long upper lip and you show more than 1/4 inch of gum when you smile, the upper jar surgical method may be an option for you. It involves the cutting of your upper jaw bone. This is an expensive procedure and the cost varies from doctor to doctor.
UPPER JAW SURGERY FOR GUMMY SMILE
5. Muscle Incision Surgery: It involves incisions in the muscle that elevates the upper lip. For this procedure, the clinical trial showed that surgeons were able to reduce gum exposure ranging from 1.59 mm to 4.83 mm. (No other information is available for this procedure.)