Botulinum Toxin Gummy Smile Treatments In Demand

Treating excessive gingival display on animation, aka a gummy smile, with botox has been rising in popularity over the past few years. The condition, also known as a “high smile line”, involves 2-3mm or more of the upper gums showing when a patient smiles. Google Trends data shows that UK searches for “botox for gummy smile” grew 100 percent between October 2014 and December 2019.

This issue, which can have a negative impact on self esteem, has various causes, including hyperactivity in the muscles which control upper lip elevation. Often as an alternative to surgery or lip fillers, neuromodulation can swiftly and successfully resolve the concern, with properly-placed botulinum toxin to decrease muscle activity. 

This involves using a needle to inject the Yonsei point either side of the nose. This relaxes the key levator labii superioris (LLS), levator labii superioris alaeque nasi (LLSAN) and zygomatic muscles. As a result, the lip elevation is temporarily decreased and less of the upper gum mucosa is visible.

Volumising lip filler may also be considered if the condition is exacerbated by thin lips.

These treatments can be performed by any licensed aesthetics specialist. However, given the issue at hand, these injectables can be particularly profitable for dentists. It offers their patients an aesthetic dentistry treatment where science and art combine for a synergistic approach.

Fixing a gummy smile with botulinum toxin-A takes around 5 minutes to perform and requires regular treatments approximately every 12-16 weeks. It can also provide huge amounts of almost immediate patient satisfaction given the effects should be noticeable from about 72 hours. This makes it a lucrative and popular aesthetics add-on to existing dental services.

Demand for botulinum toxin gummy smile treatments may rise

An Egyptian clinical trial exploring the effect of zinc on patients having botulinum toxin gummy smile treatments is due to complete this Autumn.

The randomised clinical trial entitled The Effect of Botulinum Toxin A In Patients With Excessive Gingival Display With And Without Zinc Supplementation is set to publish its findings in October 2021. 

Should this University of Cairo trial find that zinc dietary supplementation may benefit gummy smile patients, it could have various benefits for aesthetics practitioners, especially cosmetic dentists who offer injectables.

Given the growing public interest, it is likely to increase mainstream press coverage for this treatment. This should further boost public awareness and hopefully translate into an uptick in enquiries for toxin injectors.

Aesthetics training for dentists

Acquiring complementary aesthetic medicine skills makes practical and financial sense for dentists. Increasingly dentists are being relied upon for facial rejuvenation, as well as regular and cosmetic dental work. Taking some time to earn an accredited postgraduate-level qualification in injectables can help your practice meet the lucrative, evolving demands of the modern dental patient.

Aesthetic training for dentists starts with a foundation day to introduce you to the basics of aesthetic medicine. This will give you a taster of what to expect should you decide to pursue a career in aesthetics. 

Or, for those who want to dive straight in, join Harley Academy’s gold-standard aesthetic medicine qualification, the Level 7 Diploma in Botox and Dermal Fillers.

The Level 7 offers a comprehensive, Master’s level education in:

• skin ageing, facial ageing and anatomy
• consulting patients considering injectables
• safely injecting patients with botulinum toxin and dermal filler
• confidently building aesthetic medicine into your business
• the ethics and legalities of aesthetic medicine
• psychological drivers and considerations for aesthetics patients
• parlaying your training into a thriving aesthetics career.

Convenient eLearning modules which you can work on at your own pace are paired with hands-on clinical training. Aesthetics specialists train you in every aspect of patient care and safe injecting, including supporting you through real patient appointments. This at-home and face-to-face approach is flexible to fit around your existing commitments, with a Fast Track option also available.

For those who are already qualified in aesthetics but who would like to perfect their techniques and get professional feedback on their injecting, a one-to-one short course in injectables may fit the bill. 

Our 1:1 Training in the Jawline and Lower Face is especially pertinent to injectors involved in dental aesthetics, as is our 1:1 Training in Mid-Face and Cannula.

These tailored sessions concentrate on honing in on treatments in the areas dental patients are most likely to be interested in. You can really get into the techniques that can provide the facial symmetry, rejuvenation and problem-solving your patients are looking for, with this highly-targeted training.

If you’re inspired to give aesthetics a go, download our prospectus now to see which training course is right for you. Alternatively, book a call with our Courses team who are always happy to talk you through your options for becoming #HarleyTrained.

All information correct at the time of publication