When people describe their smile as “gummy,” what they typically mean is that the proportion of gum tissue visible when they smile feels too high relative to the tooth. Instead of teeth filling the smile, gum tissue dominates the upper third. The teeth may be perfectly healthy even beautifully shaped but they look shorter and less prominent than they should.
This is not a trivial cosmetic concern. Research consistently shows that a balanced gum-to-tooth ratio is one of the most significant contributors to smile attractiveness. Equally important: the gum line should be symmetrical gum heights on both sides of the midline should match. Even mild asymmetry in the gum line one tooth sitting slightly higher or lower than its partner creates a visual imbalance that many patients notice without being able to identify the source.
Novo Care corrects gummy smiles and uneven gum lines using laser gum contouring a precise, minimally invasive procedure that can be completed in a single visit and produces permanent results.
What causes a gummy smile?
A gummy smile is not a single condition it has several possible causes that require different assessments:
Excessive gingival display due to altered passive eruption. This is the most common cause. During tooth eruption, the gum tissue normally migrates apically (downward) as the tooth emerges, eventually settling at the level of the cemento-enamel junction (the boundary between the crown and root). In altered passive eruption, this migration is incomplete the gum tissue remains partly covering the tooth crown. The teeth appear short because part of their natural crown is still buried under gum tissue. The actual tooth length is normal; it’s just not fully exposed. This responds excellently to laser gum contouring.
Vertical maxillary excess. A skeletal condition in which the upper jaw is proportionally too long vertically. This causes excessive gum tissue to be visible below the upper lip during smiling and is a factor in the lip not covering sufficient tooth during rest. Mild cases can be improved with laser recontouring; significant skeletal cases may require orthognathic surgery.
Hyperactive upper lip. The upper lip elevates more than average during smiling, exposing gum tissue that is present in normal amounts. Lip recontouring or, in some cases, botulinum toxin injection to limit lip elevation can address this.
Drug-induced gingival overgrowth. Certain medications particularly some antihypertensives, anticonvulsants, and immunosuppressants — cause gum tissue to proliferate. This requires management of the medication alongside gum recontouring.
At Novo Care, every gummy smile assessment begins with identifying which of these factors is present because this determines which treatment will produce the best and most lasting result.
Laser gum contouring — how it works
For cases caused by altered passive eruption (the most common category), laser gum contouring is performed as follows:
Local anaesthetic is applied to the gum tissue to ensure complete comfort during the procedure. The laser handpiece is used to precisely remove the excess gum tissue, reshaping the gum line to expose the full natural crown of each tooth. The laser simultaneously seals the tissue as it cuts — which is why bleeding is minimal and healing is significantly faster than scalpel-based contouring.
The entire procedure is typically completed in 30 to 60 minutes, depending on how many teeth are being treated. The patient leaves the same day with the full result immediately visible — no waiting for healing before seeing the outcome.
Advantages of laser over traditional surgical contouring
Traditional gum contouring using a scalpel is effective but involves more bleeding, a longer healing period (typically 2–4 weeks for complete tissue healing), and greater post-operative discomfort.
Laser contouring at NovoCare offers:
- Minimal bleeding — the laser seals blood vessels as it removes tissue. Most patients experience no significant bleeding during or after the procedure.
- Faster healing — the laser-sealed wound heals in 5–10 days for most patients, compared to 2–4 weeks for scalpel incisions.
- Precision — the laser allows exact removal of tissue with sub-millimetre accuracy, critical for achieving symmetrical results across the smile.
- Minimal discomfort — most patients manage post-procedure discomfort with standard over-the-counter pain relief for 1–2 days.
The result — and how to maintain it
Laser gum contouring for altered passive eruption is a permanent procedure. The gum tissue removed does not regrow. The result you see at your follow-up appointment is the result you keep.
In cases where the gummy smile involves bone tissue close to the gum level (a condition called crown lengthening with osseous recontouring), a small amount of bone is also recontoured to ensure the gum tissue does not reattach at its original level. This requires a slightly longer healing period but is equally permanent.
Post-procedure care is straightforward: soft foods for 24–48 hours, gentle brushing around the treated area, and a chlorhexidine rinse for one week. A review appointment at one week confirms healing is progressing appropriately.
Novo Care performs laser gum contouring in Addis Ababa. Book a gummy smile assessment at the Tesfaye Gizaw Building, near Bole.