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T
he conditions of a smile are the main reasons ing smiling.1 A true smile is a complex gesture. Analyz-
for the patients to go to an orthodontist. The ing the problem from a facial aspect, the smile begins as
parameters usually used to establish ortho- the corners of the mouth extend laterally. At the begin-
dontic conditions undervalued the aesthetic objec- ning, lips tend to remain in contact, except for people
tives and considered them hard to modify and to who have a short upper lip.
individualize. Among the main goals of treatment As the smile expands and approaches laughter the
plan, ideal occlusion has been privileged, believing lips separate, mouth angles curve upwards and superior
that the first molar and canine properly occluding teeth are exposed to view. As the angles of the mouth
gave a smile improvement. extend and the lips separate, the mesial half of the
If this were true for many of labio-dental charac- maxillary first molars and the mandibular second pre-
teristics (overjet reduction, crowding resolution or molar may be exposed, while the front upper lip lifts up
space closing), however some of these, such as gum reaching the superior incisive collar.2
exposition, could be made worse. According to the dental traditional literature there
The purpose of this study was to check pleasant are three categories of smile line:3
smile features, giving specific parameters to make early
diagnosis and providing a right therapy of gummy normal smile line, when during smile teeth have been
smile. Gummy smile or horse smile or high smile showed and inferior rim of upper lip discovered
line or gingival smile line is a condition charac- 1-2 mm of free gum;
low smile line, when the inferior rim of upper lip
covered over then 25% of superior incisive crown;
high smile line, when inferior rim of upper lip
* Department of Odontostomatological Clinic, School of Dentistry, discovered over 2 mm of free gum.
University of LAquila, Via Vetoio delta 6 CAP 67100 LAquila,
Italy. Normally between upper lip and superior incisive
Send all correspondence to Dr. Monaco Annalisa, Prosthetic collar (smile line) there should not be free gum over
Department, University of L Aquila 67100, Italy. 2 mm. If this is the case, then smile is defined
Voice: +39 0862 433837
gummy. Causes for gummy smile could be
Fax: +39 0862 433826 different. It could be caused by hereditary, congenital
E-mail: annalisamonaco@yahoo.it or acquired factors.
The smile starts with contractions of muscle bundles The gummy exposure valuation would be clinical
originating from nasiolabial fold and upper lip levator and photometrical. Analysis had to be performed dur-
muscles, which fibers by the fold inserted to upper lip.4 ing maxim smile, both in frontal view and profile. With
Medial muscle bundles pull the upper lip upward on the aim to allow a easier reproducibility of this perfor-
anterior teeth level and lateral muscle bundles pull the mance, patients were required to smile several times.
upper lip upward on posterior teeth level. The lip then Parameters have been classified into structural,
meets resistance at the fold because of the heavy cheek occlusal and labio-gingival-dental parameters.
fat. The fold deepens. The levators, notably the Structural parameters focused on facial typology:
zygomatic major and the levator superior, rise the lip, symmetry, face and third inferior vertical dimension
fold and cheek to a higher level.5 In the final stage of and sagittal relationship between maxillary and jaw.13
smile, contraction of periocular muscles caused a Maxillary length measurement in millimeters was done
winking of the eyes. Furthermore everyone has an to discover how clockwise rotation or vertical dimen-
anatomical and functional muscular variability of sion of this structure compromised gummy exposure.
nasolabial fold and this could change the individual This parameter has been measured as the distance from
capacity to show gum during smile.6 subnasal (Sn) point to incisal margin (Incision Ic).
Sometimes gummy smile has been related to a Occlusal parameters considered interincisal
specific morphological pattern, characterized by palatal relationship, as the maxim distance in millimeters
plane post-rotation, a higher divergence of mandibular between mesial-incisive corners of central superior and
plane on cranial base, an excessive maxillary length, a inferior corresponding incisors, on sagittal (overjet)
short crown of maxillary incisive and a short length of and vertical (overbite) plan. Increased overjet and
upper lip.8,9 Among them the only parameter with overbite, in fact, seemed to be associated to gum expo-
statistical significance was the maxillary length or the sure. Occlusal plan inclination has been valued
distance between subnasal point and incisal border. frontally by shaking ice-stick in horizontal position and
This measure showed maxillary vertical excess and it could be responsible of a dental exposure asymmetry
according to a case control study,10 in subjects with high during the action of smiling.
smile line it was higher 2-3 mm than in controls. Verti- The third parameter concerned clinical crown length
cal maxillary excess (VEM) had to be valued on molar that was defined as long, medium and short. It was
level, which during smile was under lip commeasure. calculated as the distance between incisor and gingival
According to Peck et al.6 studies, overbite and margin. Clinical crown of central incisive was of 11 mm
overjet excesses are associated to clinical check of 2, if it were completely erupted. If tooth clinical
gummy smile. In subjects with moderate and heavy II crown was under 8 mm then it was defined as short.
classes, lip resisted to lowering during age.11 Excessive Tooth crown inclination was an immediate element in
gum exposure could be associated to a pathological the assessment of smile.
passive eruption with a modifiable relationship Labio-gingival-dental parameters considered smile
between gum and amelo-cementic junction so that a general assessment. Smile has been classified as low,
great part of anatomic crown has been covered by the medium and high.
gum.12 Clinically in this case the anatomic crown had a Smile was low if the central incisor clinical crown
square form for gum covering tooth and the smile had (superior of left) was covered by lip over 1/3; smile was
a large space from the inferior border of the upper lip medium if it discovered up to 100% of crown and 2 mm
to the tooth. Peck et al.6 discovered a moderate statisti- of gum. Smile was high, if it found to be over 2 mm of
cal correlation between clinical crown length and smile gum. Smile line indicated gum exposure in millimeters.
line position: a high smile line is associated to short These parameters have been measured during
clinical crown and vice versa.9 maximal smile as the distance between upper lip and
incisive collar. For this recording an imaginary vertical
PROCEDURES axis passing through middle face has been used.
It was not difficult to recognize gummy smile, but it can The value was 0 if it was perpendicular at this axis
be more complex defining its nature and entity. There and passed through incisor collar. The value was
were clinical and photometrical parameters to evaluate positive if upper lip passed above this line and the value
dento-gingival, gingival, anatomical and functional was negative if upper lip passed underneath this line.
relationships by which this unaesthetic smile could be Another parameter concerned upper lip length,
described. calculated as the distance between subnasal point (Sn)
A good diagnosis could be done and a right treat- and upper lip at rest and at maximum smile.14 The
ment plan could be set up only after a complete analy- fourth parameter recorded the distance between upper
sis. Moreover, in young subjects and for some altera- lip and central incisor margin at rest and at maximal
tions, these parameters helped the dentist to plan a smile (Stomion -Incision Index).
early therapy for a risky situation, so that in years to The last parameter concerned interlabial gap or the
come a surgery solution would be unnecessary. distance between upper and lower lip at rest and during
Figure 2. Case 1 treated with intrusion arch on fixed orthodontic Figure 3. Case 1 post orthodontic treatment with teeth in normal
appliance. position.
Figure 4. Case 1 showing Class I in molar and cuspid teeth. Figure 5. Case 2 Gummy smile from excessive anterior and gingival
posterior display with maxillary protrusion.
Figure 6. Case 2 post orthodontic treatment with improved smile. Figure 7. Case 3 gummy smile caused by excessive vertical maxil-
lary growth with altered passive eruption of dental-gingival junction.
Case 3. A 9-year-old girl sought a diagnosis for The orthodontic treatment with the intrusion arc
orthodontic treatment. After her analysis, done accord- was performed to reduce dental-alveolar hyperplasia.
ing to the method described earlier, she had a gummy Post-treatment evaluation revealed that a gingivectomy
smile caused by excessive vertical maxillary growth of 3mm should be sufficient to achieve the proper
associated with an altered passive eruption of dental- length of teeth and gingival margins in harmony with
gingival junction. the upper lip (Figures 7 to 11).
Figure 8. Case 3 fixed orthodontic appliances with intrusion arch. Figure 9. Case 3 with improved smile.
Case 4. An 11-year-old male presented gummy smile Figure 13. Case 4 with vertical headgear to reduce maxillary
with excessive gingival exposure in the front and in the hyperplasia.
back due to vertical maxillary growth. Since the subject
was hyperdivergent after radiographs analysis, it was
necessary to use full vertical headgear to reduce the
maxillary hyperplasia (Figures 12 to 15).
CONCLUSION
The aim of the dentist is to improve facial and smile
aesthetics and function, acting on lip-gingival-dental
features. The resolution of this dental and skeletal
disharmony restores dental and dental-alveolar smile
harmony. Gingival smile could not be improved after
therapy because it had its own therapeutic and
diagnostic identity. Interception and resolution of
gingival exposure require the use of specific parameters
to identify nature of alteration and to define its entity.
Dentists have to quantify and to create facial aesthetic Figure 14. Case 4 showing the intraoral view of how the headgear
parameters to assess objectively what is pleasant and attaches to the fixed orthodontic appliances.
what is not. This is necessary to link aesthetic values to
concrete and measurable aspects and not only to
subjective views.
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