Gummy Smile

A gummy smile occurs when too much of the upper gum is visible when smiling. While this is perfectly natural and common, some individuals feel self-conscious about the proportion of gum to teeth and may hold back their full smile as a result.

If you find that your upper lip lifts too high or your gums are overly exposed when you smile, anti-wrinkle injections offer a safe, quick, and minimally invasive way to reduce gum exposure and restore balance to your smile.

At Premier Laser and Skin Clinic in London, we offer targeted gummy smile treatment using anti-wrinkle injections to soften the upper lip movement. This subtle adjustment can transform the aesthetics of your smile without affecting facial expression or speech.

What Causes a Gummy Smile?

There are several underlying reasons why someone may display excess gum when smiling. These include:

• Overactive upper lip muscles (the levator labii superioris), which cause the lip to elevate more than average
• A short upper lip, naturally positioned in a way that reveals more gum
• Excess gum tissue or high lip attachment
• Small or worn teeth that make the gums appear more prominent
• Jaw positioning, where the upper jaw may project more than the lower

In many cases, a gummy smile is the result of muscle hyperactivity in the upper lip — and this is where anti-wrinkle injections can be especially effective.

How Do Anti-Wrinkle Injections Help?

The treatment works by carefully injecting a very small amount of muscle-relaxing solution into the levator muscles responsible for raising the upper lip. By reducing their activity slightly, the upper lip does not rise as high when you smile, allowing less of the gum line to show.

This does not interfere with your ability to speak, eat, or express emotions — it simply softens an exaggerated movement for a more balanced aesthetic.

This approach is fast, virtually painless, and ideal for clients who want a natural-looking improvement without committing to surgery or permanent changes.