Gummy Smile Correction Using Botulinum Toxin With Respective Gingival Surgery

The pursuit of esthetic excellence has become a major goal in the dental treatment and orthodontic treatment. The beauty of the smile is not only constituted by the shape, position, and size of the teeth, but also based on the characteristics of the gingival tissue and conformation of the lips, which should be as harmonious as teeth. Gummy smile is one of the complaints of the patients, since such a situation can influence self-esteem and social relationships. The development of new more conservative techniques may provide a better therapeutic option than surgical procedures, such as the application of botulinum toxin, in the treatment of gummy smile. The purpose of this article is to present the case of a patient who presented dentogingival discrepancy and gummy smile, treated by resective gingival surgery and by application of botulinum toxin, optimizing smile harmony, and achieving improved self-esteem and quality of life. The application of botulinum toxin is an alternative less invasive, faster, safer, and more effective. Moreover, it produces harmonics and pleasing results when applied in target muscles, respecting the appropriate dose and type of smile. Therefore, the technique is a useful adjunct in the esthetic improvement of the smile and provides better results when combined with resective gingival surgery.

Source: Journal of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences - August 25, 2018 Category: Dentistry Source Type: research