A gummy smile has more than one possible cause
Showing more gum than you’d like when you smile can come from several different sources: an overactive upper lip muscle that lifts higher than average, the position of the jawbone itself, the amount of gum tissue covering the teeth, or a naturally shorter upper lip. These are genuinely different problems, and only one of them responds to a neuromodulator.
How Botox helps – and what it’s actually treating
When the cause is muscle-related – specifically the muscles that lift the upper lip working harder or moving further than average – a small, precise dose relaxes them just enough to reduce how high the lip rises during a smile, showing less gum without changing your smile’s overall shape.
Worth knowing: this is an off-label use of a neuromodulator – a recognized and common cosmetic application, just not one of Botox’s formally approved indications. And it only addresses the muscle component. If the cause is primarily skeletal (how the jaw is positioned) or related to excess gum tissue, a neuromodulator will not meaningfully change what you see, because it cannot affect bone or gum tissue at all.
What this does not fix
- Jaw or bite-related causes. If the upper jaw itself sits lower than average, that is a skeletal issue addressed through orthodontics or, in more significant cases, jaw surgery – not something an injectable can change.
- Excess gum tissue. Sometimes the teeth are naturally covered by more gum than usual. This is a dental and periodontal matter, typically addressed with a procedure like gum contouring, not injectable treatment.
- A genuinely short upper lip. This is simply anatomy and does not change with muscle relaxation.
How to know if you’re a good candidate
The clearest sign is a lip that visibly moves higher than average specifically during a smile, with the gum showing more at full smile than the underlying causes would suggest on their own. This is best confirmed with an in-person assessment rather than guessed at from a description, since combinations of causes are common.
A precise, conservative area
Like other treatments near the mouth, this needs a careful, conservative dose – enough to soften the excess lift without affecting the natural movement or symmetry of your smile. Results typically follow the same general timeline as other areas, with effects lasting around 3 to 4 months.
Questions people ask
Can Botox fix a gummy smile?
It can help when the cause is an overactive upper lip muscle. It will not address gummy smile caused by jaw position or excess gum tissue, which need different treatment entirely.
How do I know what’s causing my gummy smile?
An in-person assessment is the reliable way to tell, since muscle, jaw position, gum tissue and lip length can all contribute, sometimes in combination.
How long does gummy smile treatment last?
Similar to other Botox areas, typically around 3 to 4 months.
Will this change the shape of my smile?
With a conservative, precise dose, the goal is reducing excess gum show without changing your smile’s natural movement or shape.
Wondering what’s causing your gummy smile?
A nurse practitioner-led practice in Scottsdale, Arizona.
