Year : 2020

Volume : Volume 11

Issue : Issue 1

Address for correspondence :
Dr. Siddhartha Verma.
siddharthaverma9999@gmail.com

Abstract

Background:  Unesthetic gummy smile or “Excessive Gingival Display” is a frequent finding among the population that can occur because of various intraoral or extraoral etiologies. This clinical report describes a successful surgical coverage obtained by modified lip repositioning, thus surgically treating gummy smile. The procedure restricts the muscle pull of the elevator lip muscles by shortening the vestibule, thus reducing the gingival display while smiling. The technique is performed by removing two strips of mucosa from maxillary buccal vestibule on both the sides leaving the frenum untouched and creating a partial thickness flap between mucogingival junction and upper lip musculature, and suturing the lip mucosa with mucogingival junction, thereby reducing gingival display. This technique is different from the conventional surgical lip repositioning as labial frenum is left untouched over here as it helps in maintaining the lip symmetry therefore reduces postoperative morbidity.

Keywords: Gummy smile, excessive gingival display, vertical maxillary excess and modified lip repositioning surgery.