[Last updated: 29 August 2026]
Key takeaways:
A gummy smile can have different causes, including excess gum tissue, the position of the upper jaw, an overactive upper lip, or shortened teeth
A gummy smile may not need treatment, but if you feel self-conscious about it, the optimal treatment depends on its cause and may include gum reshaping, crown lengthening, lip repositioning, orthodontics or restorative treatment.
A gummy smile simply means showing more gum than you would like when you smile. It is not usually a dental problem, and many people with a gummy smile never feel the need to change it.
If it does bother you, however, there are several ways to reduce the amount of gum showing. The important thing is understanding why you have a gummy smile, because the right treatment depends on the cause.
A gummy smile can happen because:
too much of the teeth is covered by gum
the upper jaw is longer than average
the upper lip moves up more than usual when you smile
the teeth have become shorter because of wear
It is also possible to have more than one of these factors at the same time.
Usually, no.
A gummy smile is generally a variation in the way your teeth, gums, lips and jaw are positioned. If you are happy with your smile, there is no medical reason to change it.
Treatment is worth considering when the appearance bothers you or affects your confidence. During a consultation, deciding not to have treatment is also a perfectly reasonable outcome.
There is one situation where treatment may have a health benefit as well. Sometimes too much gum covers the teeth because the gums did not naturally move to their final position during development. This can leave areas that are difficult to clean and may make it easier for plaque to accumulate.
A proper assessment looks at more than just how much gum you show when you smile. Your periodontist will assess your teeth, gums, upper lip and jaw together to determine what is contributing to your smile.
Sometimes the teeth are a normal size, but too much of each tooth is covered by gum. This makes the visible part of the teeth look short and can create a gummy appearance.
This is sometimes called altered passive eruption.
Typical treatment: Crown lengthening
In some people, the upper jaw extends further downwards than average. The teeth and gums themselves may be completely normal, but their position within the face results in more gum showing when smiling.
This is sometimes referred to as vertical maxillary excess.
Typical treatment: Orthodontic treatment and, in more significant cases, jaw surgery.
Gum surgery alone cannot correct a problem caused primarily by the position of the jaw.
Some people have a normal amount of gum and normally positioned teeth, but their upper lip rises significantly when they smile. This exposes more gum than is visible when the face is at rest.
Typical treatment: Lip repositioning, and in selected cases other treatments may be considered.
Lip repositioning is a relatively small surgical procedure that reduces how far the upper lip moves upwards when you smile.
Teeth can become shorter over time because of grinding, clenching or other forms of wear. When the teeth become shorter, more gum may appear in proportion to the visible teeth, even though the gum itself has not moved.
Typical treatment: Restoring the teeth to an appropriate shape and length.
In some cases, crown lengthening may be needed first to create enough space for the restorative treatment. This is usually planned together with your restorative dentist.
Two people can show exactly the same amount of gum when they smile but need completely different treatments.
For one person, the problem may be excess gum covering otherwise normal-sized teeth. For another, it may be the position of the upper lip or jaw.
This is why treatment should not be chosen simply by looking at a photograph or deciding which procedure sounds most appealing. The cause comes first; the treatment comes second.
To make an appointment at Sage Dental Specialists, please call or WhatsApp +6597365989.
Image: Gummy smile
Crown lengthening is a procedure used when too much gum covers the teeth.
It is performed under local anaesthesia. The gum is carefully lifted so that the underlying tooth and bone can be assessed. Where necessary, a small amount of bone is reshaped as well, before the gum is repositioned at a new level and secured with sutures.
The bone component is important in cases where the bone sits too close to the visible part of the tooth. Simply removing gum without addressing the underlying bone may allow the gum to move back towards its original position during healing.
In other cases, the underlying bone is already at an appropriate level and only the excess gum needs to be reshaped. A soft-tissue-only approach may then be suitable.
The procedure itself is usually completed in a single appointment under local anaesthesia, but the final result takes longer to develop.
The sutures are generally removed after a couple of weeks, but the gum continues to heal, mature and settle for several months.
This is particularly important if the teeth will eventually receive crowns, veneers or other restorations. Your dentist will usually wait until the gum has stabilised before completing the final restoration.
In other words, the surgery may take one appointment, but the final result is a process rather than an overnight change.
Sometimes, yes — but it depends on the cause.
A laser can be useful for reshaping excess gum tissue in carefully selected cases. However, a laser cannot change the position of the underlying bone, upper jaw or upper lip.
For example, if the gum is covering too much of the tooth because the underlying bone is also positioned too high, simply removing gum may not provide a stable long-term result.
This is why the important question is not “Which instrument should be used?” but rather “What is causing my gummy smile?”
Image: Illustration showing laser treatment for a gummy smile
Gum aesthetics sits inside periodontics because it is the same anatomy: gum, attachment and the bone underneath. The measurements that separate the four causes, the judgement about how much bone can be recontoured while leaving each tooth properly supported, and the surgical technique itself are all periodontal work.
Dr Darrell Ong lists gum aesthetics and periodontal microsurgery among his clinical interests alongside gum disease and implants.
The cost depends on the cause of the gummy smile, how many teeth are involved and whether treatment involves the gum alone or the underlying bone as well.
For this reason, aesthetic gum procedures are usually quoted on a case-by-case basis rather than using one standard price.
Sage Dental Specialists provides an itemised quotation before treatment begins, so you will know what is involved and what the expected fees are in advance.
Purely cosmetic procedures are generally not MediSave-claimable. If crown lengthening is being performed for a restorative or periodontal reason, different rules may apply. Your treatment plan and quotation will clarify this.
Usually not. A gummy smile is generally a variation in the relationship between your teeth, gums, lips and jaw.
If you are happy with your smile, there is usually no need to treat it.
In some cases, however, excess gum can make certain areas difficult to clean. In those situations, treatment may have both a health and cosmetic benefit.
It can in some cases.
A laser can reshape excess gum tissue, but it cannot change the position of the underlying bone, jaw or upper lip.
If the gummy smile is caused by something other than excess gum tissue, another type of treatment may be more appropriate.
When crown lengthening is planned correctly and the underlying bone is adjusted where necessary, the gum usually heals and stabilises at its new position.
Some movement of the gumline during the first few months is normal as the tissues heal and mature.
This is why the long-term stability of the result depends on correctly identifying the cause and planning the procedure around the underlying bone and gum anatomy.
You will see a change immediately after the procedure, but the gum will continue to heal and settle for several months.
If you are also planning crowns, veneers or other dental restorations, these are usually completed after the gumline has stabilised.
So while the procedure itself may take only one appointment, the final result develops gradually during the healing process.
Reviewed by Dr Darrell Ong, BDS, MSc (Periodontics), FAMS, Registered Specialist in Periodontics, Singapore Dental Council.
To make an appointment at Sage Dental Specialists, please call or WhatsApp +6597365989.
Address: 435 Orchard Road, #12-04 Wisma Atria Office Tower, Singapore 238877