Botulinum toxin · Gummy smile
Botulinum toxin for a gummy smile
A gummy smile is when the upper lip rises so far when you smile that it shows a wide band of gum. In many people the cause is muscular: the muscles that lift the lip pull too hard.
Botulinum toxin relaxes those muscles. The lip still rises when you smile, just less. The gum stays covered and the smile stays the same. Two injection points, one on each side of the nose.
A 15-minute session, €120. When the cause is not muscular, we tell you at the consultation and do not treat.
What changes with gummy smile treatment
A small dose of botulinum toxin in the muscles that lift the upper lip. The lip still rises when you smile, just less, and the gum stays covered. The shape of the smile does not change.
Is it for you?
A smile that shows more than 3 to 4 millimetres of gum, when the cause is muscular. When it comes from a high gum line or short teeth instead, the answer is with the dentist, and we say so rather than treat.
What happens in the session
Two injection points, one on each side of the nose, the amount decided while watching your smile. No anaesthetic. Fifteen minutes.
What you'll see, and when
First signs at 3 days, complete by day 14. It lasts 3 to 4 months, then the lip rises as before.
After the treatment
Nothing to recover from. Avoid rubbing the area for the first hours.
Why it looks natural
This area is very sensitive to dose, so we use few units and decide the amount while watching your smile. The lip still rises, just less, and the shape of the smile does not change. Done right, nobody notices a treatment; they notice you show less gum. And when the cause is not muscular but a high gum line or short teeth, we say so instead of treating.
Honest answers
Will it show? First signs at 3 days, complete by day 14. The smile keeps its shape; the gum stays covered.
Does it hurt? Two quick injections, one on each side of the nose, with no anaesthetic. Brief pinpricks.
What if I don't like it? The toxin cannot be dissolved; it wears off in 3 to 4 months and the lip rises as before. The low dose is deliberate.
How we do it at Cosmo Clinic
This area is very sensitive to dose, so we use few units. With the right amount nobody notices the treatment; they notice you show less gum. When the lip is also thin, a lip flip is often done in the same session: one controls how far the lip rises, the other turns it slightly outward. €120. The consultation is free.
Options and prices
| Treatment | Price |
|---|---|
| Botulinum toxin — special area (gummy smile, bunny lines, nose tip, chin) | 120 € |
| Botulinum toxin — 1 area (frown lines or crow's feet) | 150 € |
| Botulinum toxin — forehead | 189 € |
| Botulinum toxin — 2 areas | 249 € |
| Botulinum toxin — 3 areas | 320 € |
| Botulinum toxin — masseter | 305 € |
| Botulinum toxin — hyperhidrosis (underarms/hands) | 450 € |
| Lip flip | 99 € |
The plan and the final figure are confirmed at the assessment consultation, at no cost.
At a glance
What to expect
Results
- Less gum showing when you smile.
- The smile keeps its shape; only the height of the lip changes.
- First signs at 3 days, full result at 14.
- Lasts 3 to 4 months.
Key features
- Two injection points, 15 minutes.
- No anaesthetic; same-day return.
- Pairs with a lip flip when the lip is also thin.
- €120, price per treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions we hear every day. Everything else belongs in the consultation.
What is a gummy smile?
A smile that shows more than 3 to 4 millimetres of gum above the teeth. It can come from the muscles that lift the lip, from the size of the lip, or from the gum itself. Only the first case is treated with the toxin.
How does the toxin correct it?
It relaxes the muscles that pull the lip upwards. The lip rises less when you smile and covers the gum.
Is the result permanent?
No. It lasts 3 to 4 months and then the lip rises as before.
Does it affect the smile?
The shape of the smile stays the same. What changes is how far the lip rises. With the right dose nobody notices the treatment; they notice you show less gum.
Who is not a good candidate?
Anyone whose gummy smile comes from a high gum line or short teeth rather than the muscle. In those cases the answer is with the dentist, and we say so at the consultation.
Does it hurt?
Two quick injections beside the nose. We do not use anaesthetic.
How many units are needed?
Few; this area is very sensitive to the dose. The amount is decided at the consultation, watching your smile.
Can I combine it with a lip flip?
Yes, they are often done together: one controls how far the lip rises, the other turns the lip slightly outward.
Similar treatments
Botulinum toxin · Lip flipLip flip
Turns the upper lip slightly outward, no added volume.
Botulinum toxin · Nose tipBotulinum toxin to lift the nose tip
Lifts a nose tip that drops when you smile, slightly.
Botulinum toxin · MasseterMasseter botulinum toxin
Relaxes the chewing muscle and softens the jaw angle.
Related articles
To read before you decide, in your own time.
Botulinum toxinHow long does botulinum toxin last? Three to six months, depending on you
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Anyone considering botulinum toxin deserves numbers, not alarm and not reassurance. The common effects and how long they last, the rare complications and how they happen, who should not have it, and what changes with who injects.
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