Dentists (and plastic surgeons) have not been very successful in surgically changing the low, medium, or high lip line. There are some dental ‘tricks’ that can be used in limited situations to reduce the amount of gum display evident with a high smile line. Most of the corrective procedures to improve the esthetics of the situation require significant investments of both time and money. Periodontal (gum) surgery, alone or in conjunction with porcelain veneers or ceramic crowns, is more likely. In extreme cases, the only option may be to surgically reposition the entire maxilla (with or without orthodontics). Conversely, the appearance of showing no teeth when talking or smiling is regarded as one associated with advanced aging.

There is another component to how much of your teeth show when your lips are at rest. You showed about 3mm of the biting edges of the top two front teeth when you were 20 years old, by the time you are 40, you may show only 2mm of edge. Someone 50 years of age would show 1mm, and at 60 years, maybe no tooth is seen when the lips are at rest. The tissues of the human face will drop about 1mm every 10 years, beginning around age 40. As the facial tissues lose elasticity, they slowly drop. With certain dental techniques, we can change your smile to look younger.

Correction of smile lines is a complex procedure and at Apex Dental Centre, we have a specialist prosthodontist, who is a true cosmetic dental specialist. Your dentist can provide crowns, bridges, dentures, and implants. However, the level of complexity in some clinical conditions may need to be managed by dental specialists. To become a Prosthodontist one has to complete years of supervised specialist postgraduate study and training at a dental school, within a university setting, thus achieving a high level of expertise in the field. The training is multidisciplinary, ensuring that the Prosthodontist graduate develops a high level of knowledge of other dental specialties.

If you want to correct your smile line or improve your smile. Call us today to organise an appointment with our specialist prosthodontist.