INTRODUCTION

Many people go around with gummy smiles, meaning their gum shows when they smile and their upper lip curls upwards. For several patients, this can cause a lot of self-consciousness, and even embarrassment. A thin upper lip can further contribute to this problem by allowing more of the gum to be exposed. We perform the gummy smile reduction in a non-surgical approach by combining two injectable substances, Botox and Restylane. The results last about six months and patients are usually very happy with this tradeoff for an almost immediately beautiful smile.

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PREPARING FOR THE PROCEDURE

An initial consultation is set-up where we discuss your options for non-surgical facial contouring, and whether you are a good candidate for the procedure. Since this is an in-office procedure, preparation is minimal. Since the face has excellent blood supply, patients are encouraged to stop medications that cause bleeding, such as aspirin, or aspirin products (Motrin or Ibuprofen), a week before this procedure. Mild to moderate pain is alleviated with local anesthesia or ice to numb the area that is injected.

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THE GUMMY SMILE REDUCTION PROCEDURE

The procedure takes about 15 minutes, in general. If a patient is a good candidate for the procedure, we will apply a topical anesthetic, or just ice, to numb the area before the injection. The Botox works by weakening the muscles ability to contract. When we inject it in the muscles that elevate the upper lip, then elevation of the upper lip is weakened and less gum shows. The Botox takes about four days to work.

The results of the Restylane are immediate with minimal discomfort. Restylane is a natural filler used to transform thin lips into luscious ones. This procedure gives a huge improvement that can last up to nine months. Our patients have not reported any side effects or complications, and they have happily returned for repeat treatments.