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Gummy smile Botox
Showing a lot of gum above your teeth when you smile? That's called a gummy smile, and for many people it's a reason to hold back their smile a little. Botox can help by making the upper lip move a little more calmly. At Soap you start with a free consult, in which the doctor looks at your smile and upper lip movement before any needle is involved.
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SMART SCIENCE
Gummy smile: what is it and how does Botox help?
A gummy smile happens because the muscles around your upper lip are slightly more active, so your lip rises further than average when you smile and more gum becomes visible. It says nothing about the health of your teeth, it's purely a matter of muscle movement.
Botox subtly relaxes these muscles around your nostrils and upper lip, so your lip moves up less when you smile. The result is a more natural, relaxed smile, without changing your lip volume.
At Soap this is never about 'freezing everything', but about balance: your smile stays yours, just with a little less gum on show. At Soap Botox is used for more than just expression lines, for example also for Botox for teeth grinding.
Not every gummy smile is the same
A gummy smile usually happens because the muscles around your upper lip are slightly more active than average, so your lip rises further when you smile. For some people something else plays a role: a slightly shorter upper lip, gums that cover more of the teeth, or the position of your upper jaw. Botox only works on the muscle, not on bone or gums.
That's why during the free consult the doctor first assesses whether your gummy smile is muscle related. If not, a referral to a dentist or oral surgeon for gum contouring, for example, is a more realistic alternative than Botox.
Who is this suitable for?
• Lots of gum visible when smiling. You notice your upper lip rises a lot when you smile, so a large part of your gums is visible.
• Insecurity about your smile. You sometimes hold back your smile, or prefer smiling with your mouth closed, because of how your gummy smile looks.
• Preference for a non surgical approach. You want to try a temporary, reversible solution first before considering something more drastic.
During the consult the doctor looks at how much gum shows and how active your upper lip muscles are, and discusses with you whether a lower dose is enough or another approach suits you better.
Prefer to tackle your crow's feet first? Then read about Botox for crow's feet.
Your gummy smile treatment in 3 steps
Intake. The doctor has you smile and assesses how much gum shows and how active your upper lip muscles are, to decide whether Botox is the right approach.
The injection. A few small injections go just beside your nostrils, where the upper lip lifts most. It's done quickly, and you can carry on with your day afterwards.
Result and recovery. Around your nose and upper lip your smile may feel slightly less symmetrical in the first days due to mild swelling, which fades by itself. Your upper lip then gradually moves more calmly, until the full effect is there after two weeks.
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SEE THE CHANGE
Result and recovery
Your lip volume and expressions stay completely intact after the treatment, only your smile looks calmer because less gum shows. No special aftercare is needed: just don't rub or massage the treated area for the first few days.
What to keep in mind
Short lived swelling. Near the nose and upper lip mild swelling or redness can occur, which fades after a few days.
Results vary per person. How much less gum shows depends on how active your upper lip muscles are. The doctor gives you a realistic estimate during the consult.
Precision matters extra here. The zone around the nostrils is small, so a BIG registered doctor performs the injections with deliberate precision.
The effect is temporary. Once the effect wears off, your original smile returns, and you can consider a follow up treatment.
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CLEAR PRICES, NO SURPRISES
Investing in your gummy smile treatment
A gummy smile often involves a small number of points around the upper lip, so during the consult the doctor decides how much Botox is really needed and what that costs.
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MEET THE EXPERTS
Discover the rest of our Botox range
With a gummy smile our doctors deliberately focus on the upper lip muscles, never on the rest of your smile, so your teeth and expressions look exactly as you're used to. Curious what else Botox can do for you? See the full range of Botox treatments on our Botox treatment page.
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