10.1055/b-0038-165979
18 Neurotoxin Injection for Gummy Smile
Difficulty: ●●●
Patient Satisfaction: ●●
Risk: ●●
Indications
Some patients pull their upper lip up dramatically while smiling, which reveals a large part of the gingival tissue, often referred to as a “gummy smile.” Some patients also develop a strong horizontal crease just below the columella in the mid-lip area. Both of these problems are often helped with this treatment.
Anatomic Considerations
The upper lip is elevated during smile by the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscles. These muscles originate on the frontal process of the maxilla and insert on the skin of the lateral aspect of the nostril and upper lip. Unilateral contraction of this muscle results in an upper lip snarl, and this muscle has been referred to as the “Elvis” muscle.
Related posts:
Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
