A Review of Current Techniques in Lip Reposition Surgery for Treating Excessive Gingival Display

Excessive gingival display (EGD), commonly known as a gummy smile (GS), is a cosmetic concern that involves exposing a significant area of gum tissue during a smile, rendering it unaesthetic. Gingival exposure greater than 3 mm is deemed aesthetically displeasing and often necessitates treatment to mask the gummy smile. The causes of EGD are multifactorial, including altered passive eruption (APE), hypermobile upper lip (HUL), short lip length, increased vertical maxillary component, gingival hyperplasia, dentoalveolar extrusion, and more. As each aetiology requires different treatment modalities, patients with EGD should be thoroughly evaluated and individualized treatment plans should be developed. Lip repositioning surgery (LRS) is a minimally invasive conservative technique that decreases gummy smiles in patients with increased lip mobility and mild vertical maxillary excess. If the aetiology is multifactorial, LRS can be combined with other treatment modalities such as crown lengthening and gingivectomy for improved aesthetic outcomes. This review discusses the recent modifications and current techniques that have evolved from traditional LRS.