Gummy Smile Treatment
Gummy Smile Treatment provided by Our Expert Dentists
in Bells, Jackson, Milan & Lexington, TN at Premier Dental Center
 If your teeth look short or your smile shows more gum than you would like, gummy smile treatment at Premier Dental Center in Jackson, Bells, Milan, and Lexington, TN can bring your gumline and teeth into better balance.
A gummy smile is common, it is rarely a health problem, and in most cases a straightforward procedure that reshapes the gum tissue corrects it.
A lot of people who come to us have spent years smiling with their lips half-closed in photos. The good news is that evening out a gumline is usually quicker and simpler than patients expect. We will look at what is causing the extra gum display in your case and walk you through the option that fits.
That last part matters, because a gummy smile has more than one cause. The right treatment depends on the why, not just the look, and part of our job is being honest about which approach will actually work for you.
On This Page
What Causes a Gummy Smile?
 Dentists describe a smile as gummy when a noticeable band of gum shows above the teeth when you smile fully. It is a matter of proportion, and a few different things can throw that proportion off:
- Excess gum tissue – The gums simply cover more of the teeth than average, making teeth look short.
- Short clinical crowns – The teeth are a normal size but partly hidden under the gumline.
- A hyperactive upper lip – The lip lifts higher than usual when you smile, exposing more gum.
- Jaw development – In some cases the upper jaw grew in a way that pushes the gums forward.
The first two causes respond very well to gum and tooth-focused treatment, which is what this page covers. A lip-related or jaw-related cause is a different conversation, and we will tell you honestly at your consultation if that is what we see, since gum reshaping alone will not fully resolve those.
Your Gummy Smile Treatment Options
Because the cause varies, so does the fix. Most gummy smiles we treat fall into one of three approaches, and we match the treatment to what is actually driving the extra gum display.
Gum Contouring
When the issue is simply excess gum tissue, we reshape the gumline to reveal more of each tooth. We use a soft tissue laser for this, which trims and sculpts the gums with very little bleeding and a faster, more comfortable recovery than older methods. For many patients, gum contouring alone makes the whole smile look longer and more even.
Crown Lengthening
When healthy tooth hides under the gum and a little bone, reshaping only the gum is not enough. Crown lengthening adjusts both the gum and the underlying bone level to expose more of your natural tooth, which is also the right step when a tooth needs more structure showing before a crown or veneer can be placed.
Combining With Veneers
Sometimes the best result comes from pairing gum work with dental veneers. Reshaping the gums creates an even canvas, and veneers then perfect the shape, length, and color of the teeth. This combination is a common part of a full smile makeover when a patient wants to address more than the gumline alone.
Your Cosmetic Team in West Tennessee
Reshaping a gumline is part art, part precision. A millimeter in either direction changes how a smile reads, so this is not a procedure to rush. Our doctors plan each case around your facial proportions and the symmetry of your existing teeth, then use a soft tissue laser to make controlled, conservative changes.
Premier Dental Center has cared for smiles across Bells, Jackson, Milan, and Lexington since 1979, and we handle cosmetic gum work and the restorative side, from crowns to veneers, under one roof. That means we can plan the whole result together rather than sending you elsewhere midway through. More about our doctors under About Us.
What to Expect During Treatment
Most gum contouring visits are short, and many patients are surprised that the appointment is over before they expected.
Consultation and Planning
We start by examining your gums, teeth, and how your smile moves, often with photos, at whichever of our four West Tennessee offices is easiest for you. This is where we pin down the cause and show you what is realistic, so you go in knowing exactly what your result will look like.
The Procedure
For gum contouring, we numb the area and use a soft tissue laser to reshape the gumline. The laser seals as it works, so bleeding is minimal and the visit is usually comfortable. Crown lengthening takes a bit longer because we also adjust bone, and we plan that timing with you in advance.
Healing
Gum contouring recovery is typically quick, with mild tenderness for a few days and simple aftercare. We see you for a brief follow-up to confirm everything is healing as it should, and we are a phone call away if anything feels off.
Benefits of Gummy Smile Treatment
 The most obvious benefit is confidence. When teeth look proportioned and the gumline is even, people tend to smile more freely, and that change shows up in photos, conversations, and how they carry themselves.
Beyond appearance, a balanced gumline can also be easier to keep clean, and exposing more tooth gives our team a better foundation when restorative work like a crown or veneer is part of the plan. For patients treating short clinical crowns, the result is teeth that finally look their true size. When the cause is gum or tooth related, the change holds for good, so this is a one-time correction rather than something you maintain.
Why Choose Our Team for Gummy Smile Treatment
A gummy smile sits right where cosmetic dentistry and gum health meet, and not every office is set up to handle both sides well. Our doctors do the soft tissue laser work, the crown lengthening, and the veneers, so your care does not get split across multiple practices that have to coordinate from a distance.
We are also candid about what each approach can and cannot do. If a soft tissue procedure will give you the result you want, we will say so. If your case is driven by lip or jaw factors that gum reshaping will not fix, we will tell you that too, and point you toward what actually helps. Premier Dental Center has built that kind of straight-talk reputation across West Tennessee since 1979.
Gummy Smile Treatment Cost and Financing
Cost is a fair question to ask early, and we will give you a clear number before anything begins. What you pay depends mainly on the approach: simple gum contouring sits at one end, while crown lengthening or a combination with veneers involves more.
Because gummy smile treatment is usually cosmetic, dental insurance often will not cover it, though there are exceptions when the work ties to a functional need like a crown. We will help you sort out what applies, and you can review payment plans through our insurance and financing options. Call 731-300-3000 for a personalized estimate.
Schedule Your Gummy Smile Consultation
A more balanced smile may be a single short visit away. Call Premier Dental Center at 731-300-3000 or schedule an appointment to start with a consultation. Our Jackson office is at 80 Exeter Rd, Jackson, TN 38305. We also see patients in Bells, Milan, and Lexington, TN. Prefer to ask a few questions first? You can get in touch anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is gummy smile treatment painful?
We numb the area first, so you should not feel the procedure itself. With the soft tissue laser, most patients report only mild tenderness afterward, less than they expect from a typical dental visit, and over-the-counter relief is usually all that is needed. Crown lengthening involves a little more recovery because bone is adjusted.
Will my gums grow back after contouring?
When the gumline is reshaped for cosmetic reasons, the result is generally permanent and the gums do not return to their old position. The exception is if only soft tissue is trimmed in a case that really needed bone adjustment too, which is why we diagnose the cause carefully before choosing the approach.
How long does the procedure take?
Gum contouring on a few front teeth is often done in a single visit of roughly an hour, sometimes less. Treating more teeth, or adding crown lengthening or veneers, extends that timeline, and we will map out the number of visits for your specific plan at the consultation.
Can a gummy smile be fixed without surgery?
Laser gum contouring is minimally invasive and does not involve stitches for most patients, so it feels far removed from traditional surgery. If your gummy smile comes from a hyperactive lip rather than the gums, the fix is different again and may not be a dental procedure at all, which is something we screen for up front.
Should I choose gum contouring or crown lengthening?
You do not have to decide on your own; the deciding factor is whether bone needs adjusting, which we confirm with a quick measurement of the tissue around each tooth at your visit. If the bone sits at a healthy level and only gum is in the way, contouring is enough. If we find the bone is high, crown lengthening is the honest answer even when contouring would look fine at first.
Am I a good candidate for gummy smile treatment?
If your gummy smile is caused by excess gum tissue or short clinical crowns, you are very likely a good candidate. Healthy gums free of active disease are important first, so if gum disease is present we treat that before any cosmetic reshaping. A consultation is the only way to know for certain.
Does insurance cover gummy smile treatment?
A useful rule of thumb: if the reason on the chart is appearance, expect to pay out of pocket; if it is function, such as exposing a tooth so a crown will fit, a portion may be billable to insurance. Many gummy smile cases are purely the former. Our front desk can pre-check your specific plan so there are no surprises after treatment.
Why choose Premier Dental Center for gummy smile treatment in Jackson, TN?
Because we handle the whole picture in one place: the laser gum work, the crown lengthening, and any smile makeover follow-up with veneers. You get a team that diagnoses the real cause and is honest when gum reshaping is not the full answer. Premier Dental Center has served Jackson, Bells, Milan, and Lexington since 1979. |
