Gummy Smile and Short Tooth Syndrome--Part 1: Etiopathogenesis, Classification, and Diagnostic Guidelines

Treating patients with "gummy smiles" and improving smile esthetics has become an integral part of dentistry. It is necessary to conduct an accurate diagnosis of what may be multiple causes that coexist simultaneously. Though all causes may not be resolved following treatment, they should be identified; otherwise it might not be possible to conduct an adequate order of treatment, which could involve multidisciplinary collaboration between various dental specialists, and may lead to unexpected and unacceptable final results. The authors propose a complete adult classification of the causes identified for gummy smile (GS) and short tooth syndrome (STS) to ascertain the etiopathogenetic origin(s). Used in combination with the proposed diagnostic procedure, which involves an "outside-in" evaluation of the patient, the classification system will enable clinicians to provide patients an accurate prediction of final results and determine the treatment required.