Surgical Procedures

Lip Repositioning - Lowering of the Upper Lip Oak Brook IL

Very simply, if your upper lip reveals a substantial amount of gum tissue when you smile, you can benefit from this procedure. It is common that people don't realize that their high lip line is the problem, and instead think that they need to have their teeth lengthened or gums raised. Often, the teeth sizes are within average ranges and do not need to be lengthened.  The lip lowering will give you the smile you're looking for and is a much less invasive surgical correction. However, in some cases, combining upper lip lowering with crown lengthening or excess gum tissue removal may be required to create an attractive smile (see esthetic crown lengthening).

The result is a smile that shows more teeth, and less gums, due to more normalized movement for the upper lip.

Lip Lowering Benefits

This procedure offers a number of advantages to my patients:

  • Lip lowering exposes your teeth more evenly and shows off a more "proportional" amount of teeth and gums when you smile.
  • The procedure reassures those patients who are afraid to smile and reduces the amount of self-consciousness you feel every time you want to smile.
  • In general, lip lowering makes the smile more attractive and offers a better "fit" with the rest of your face.

The Surgical Procedure

Some doctors might tell you that nothing can be done to fix your high lip line, or may only suggest treatments that raise the gum tissue instead of lowering the lip. We consider all parts of the smile design for optimum results.  The surgery requires only local anesthesia. The procedure is confined to the inner surface of the upper lip, so there's no scarring or marks on your outer lip. The procedure only takes about 45 minutes and easily can be combined with additional procedures if necessary.

Risks and Recovery

There are practically no risks associated with the lip lowering procedure, and your recovery time is fairly short. Smile enhancement will vary from patient to patient, but most people are very satisfied to be freed from their gummy smile. Remember that lip lowering surgery will not cause a dramatic change to the outer appearance of your lips, but mainly control how high your upper lip lifts when you smile.