[Gingival smile: surgical-orthodontic treatment]

The treatment of patients with dentofacial deformities which include excessive exposure of frontal upper teeth and upper alveolar gum at resting and/or dynamic position of the lips, is a frequent challenge to odontologists, orthodontists, prosthesists and maxillofacial surgeons. This article introduces a joint orthodontic-surgical approach for the functional and esthetic correction of this deformity. Attained results are illustrated by two representative case histories.