Botox For Gummy Smile Bellevue & Kirkland

Botox has countless uses in the cosmetic and medical world. From treating muscle disorders and relaxing muscles to preventing wrinkles, Botulinum toxin is a versatile treatment widely used around the world. At Northwest Face & Body, our plastic surgeons and injectors have used Botox for over two decades to help our patients feel and look their best. One of the lesser known Botox treatments is to treat a gummy smile. Northwest Face & Body provides the best Botox for gummy smile Bellevue and Kirkland offers.

Overview: What Is A Gummy Smile?

A gummy smile is a term for when more than two or three millimeters of the gums are visible when smiling. While it is often considered endearing some people are bothered by their gummy smile and may look for ways to correct it. The least invasive and often recommended way is to use a small amount of Botox to relax the upper lip slightly. This reduces the gummy smile and results in a more traditional smile.

The causes of a gummy smile generally fall into two categories: genetic and medical. Genetic causes include the shape and size of the teeth, a short or hyperactive upper lip muscle, and the overgrowth of the upper jaw. People are usually born with these conditions which cause a gummy smile. The medical causes may include: gingival hypertrophy, abnormal dental eruption, and excessive wear and tear on the teeth. Injuries to the area can also impact a gummy smile.

Sometimes a gummy smile is solved by braces at a young age or it resolves itself with age. In other cases, it never resolves on its own. This is when some people choose to seek out treatment options.

Traditional Treatments

Botox is not the only treatment for a gummy smile, but it is one of the newest. Since a gummy smile can have several causes, the treatments can vary based on this. Though, today, Botox is becoming more of a baseline treatment. Some of the other treatment options for a gummy smile include:

• Lip Fillers: Lip fillers can sometimes help reduce the appearance of a gummy smile. However, patients should use caution when considering using only lip fillers. This is typically recommended when the extra gum show is extremely slight. This is because using filler to purely treat a gummy smile is more likely to lead to an unnatural result. You can receive filler after some other treatments for a gummy smile.

• Oral Surgery: Sometimes it is the gums themselves that contribute most to a gummy smile. In this case, oral surgeries such as a gingivectomy may be performed to reduce the size of the upper gums and show more of the teeth. 

• Lip Repositioning: A patient may undergo a surgical procedure known as lip repositioning to change how the lips sit over the teeth. This is also typically performed by an oral surgeon or similar provider.

• Jaw Surgery: If your jaw position is the cause of your gummy smile, then you may undergo jaw surgery to reposition the jaw. This can also correct extreme overbites and other teeth alignment problems. Jaw surgery is often performed after or along with braces and orthodontic care.

• Anchorage Devices: These devices are screwed into the bone inside your mouth and help reposition the teeth in a way that reduces a gummy smile. However, this is a temporary solution and can cause pain.

Botox Injections

Botox has become one of the preferred treatments among patients and providers. While it is not permanent, it is not nearly as painful, expensive, or invasive as other options. It also does not require a long recovery period. While some of the above surgeries may be recommended for other reasons, if surgery is not necessary or warranted in your case, then Botox is a great option.

Botox is a neurotoxin derived from Botulinum toxin type A that temporarily reduces muscle activity. This results in the lip relaxing slightly to cover the excess gum show. It looks exceptionally natural and requires only a small amount of Botox. The injections also come with little pain and are performed in under ten minutes.

Your injector may offer numbing cream, but because Botox injections use a tiny needle and are quick, it is not necessary. From there, the injections are generally made in the elevator muscles which conjoin near the base of the nose. This limits the amount that they pull on the upper lip and thus reduces a gummy smile.

Benefits & Risks

Botox for a gummy smile offers patients both benefits and risks. In many cases, the benefits outweigh the risks, but it is important to provide your injector with a full medical history so they can evaluate your risk profile. First, let’s look at the benefits.

• Reduces gum show
• Can result in the look of a plumper upper lip
• Looks natural
• Less risk than other treatments
• Uses only a few units of Botox
• Can combine with other Botox injections
• Results seen quickly
• No recovery or aftercare
• Quick injection process
• Little to no pain
• Performed by an experienced Botox injector

Next, the risks of gummy smile Botox are fairly minor. Complications following the procedure are rare. They are often also temporary. Though, it is important to know the possible adverse effects. The risks include:

• Crooked smile
• Difficulty swallowing
• Issues speaking or eating
• Prolonged or severe side effects

As long as an appropriate amount of Botox is injected by a qualified injector like those at Northwest Face & Body, these risks are unlikely to occur. Side effects such as bruising, redness, and minor swelling may occur, but should subside on their own in two weeks or less.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do The Results Last?

The results of gummy smile Botox injections last roughly the same amount of time as other Botox procedures. You can expect results to last around three months and sometimes up to four months. This is because your mouth moves frequently and these movements slowly break down the Botox. 

Does Gummy Smile Botox Cause Problems Talking Or Eating?

It should not. Only a small amount of Botox is used to treat a gummy smile. As long as it is injected correctly, the relaxation of the lip is only enough to cover the extra gum show. In rare cases, if too many units are injected or you see an unqualified provider, issues like interfering with daily activities or a crooked smile are more likely. Therefore, it is best to always see a qualified and experienced provider like those at Northwest Face & Body.

Is It Painful?

Most patients feel little pain or discomfort during Botox injections for a gummy smile. In fact, many forego numbing cream. Though, it is available if you are concerned about potential pain. You can feel reassured that Botox injections use a tiny needle and are quick, especially when injecting a small number of units like when treating a gummy smile.

Which Is Better For A Gummy Smile Lip Fillers Or Botox?

In most cases, providers prefer to use Botox to treat a gummy smile. This is because it helps treat the root cause of the problem instead of masking it. Since a gummy smile relates to movement, the filler will often either create an unnatural looking result or not actually address the gummy smile.

However, after you have had gummy smile Botox injections and waited about two weeks, you may be able to undergo lip filler injections to plump the lips. It should be noted though that dermal fillers tend to last longer than Botox. Also, not all patients will be candidates for lip filler.

How Much Is Botox For A Gummy Smile?

The exact cost of Botox for a gummy smile depends on your needs. While only a few units are used to treat a gummy smile, many patients choose to undergo other Botox treatments at the same time. The cost of Botox in Bellevue is as follows:

• 20 Units: $199 with Nurse, $219 with Injector
• 30 Units: $269 with Nurse, $299 with Injector

Northwest Face & Body does work with Allē Rewards. There is also outside financing available through Care Credit and United Medical Credit. Botox for gummy smile treatment is not usually covered by insurance.

The Best Botox Injections For Gummy Smile Treatment

Northwest Face & Body is a leading plastic surgery practice serving the Bellevue and Kirkland areas. Our qualified injectors treat hundreds of patients every month and specialize in neuromodulator injections, including more advanced treatments such as gummy smile treatment. Northwest Face & Body offers the best Botox for bunny lines Bellevue and Kirkland provide.

The injectors at Northwest Face & Body come from a diverse set of backgrounds. They range in credentials from registered nurses to aesthetic medicine physicians to surgeons. All have undergone thorough and rigorous training to become some of the best injectors in the Bellevue and Kirkland area.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Ludwig Allegra or an injector at Northwest Face & Body, call us at 425-576-1700. You can also contact us via our contact form or the Price Simulator app.