When Your Gums Steal the Show

Do you find yourself hesitating before smiling in photographs? Perhaps you’ve noticed that when you look in the mirror, your gums seem to dominate your smile rather than your teeth. You’re not alone. Many people feel self-conscious about what’s commonly known as a “gummy smile”—a condition where excessive gum tissue is visible when you smile, making your teeth appear shorter or smaller than they actually are.

At Harley Street Dental Studio in London, we understand the profound impact that smile confidence can have on your daily life. Whilst a gummy smile isn’t a health concern in itself, it can significantly affect how you feel about your appearance. The good news? Modern cosmetic dentistry offers elegant, minimally invasive solutions through crown lengthening and laser gum treatment. Our award-winning team at 52 Harley Street has helped countless patients transform their smiles with these sophisticated procedures, combining cutting-edge technology with world-class expertise to reveal the beautiful smile you’ve always deserved.

Understanding Crown Lengthening and Laser Gum Treatment

Before exploring the signs that you might benefit from these treatments, it’s helpful to understand what they involve. Both crown lengthening and laser gum treatment in London are cosmetic procedures designed to reshape the gum line, creating a more balanced and aesthetically pleasing smile.

• Crown lengthening is a precise procedure that removes excess gum tissue—and sometimes a small amount of bone—to expose more of the tooth’s surface. This makes the teeth appear longer and more proportionate to your facial features. The procedure can be performed on a single tooth to improve symmetry or across multiple teeth for a complete smile transformation.
• Laser gum treatment, also known as laser gum contouring, uses advanced dental laser technology to reshape the gum line with exceptional precision and minimal discomfort. At Harley Street Dental Studio, we favour this cutting-edge approach for many gummy smile treatments, as it offers reduced bleeding, faster healing times, and outstanding aesthetic results.

Dr Federico Tinti, our Specialist Periodontist, plays a crucial role in these procedures. With nearly two decades dedicated exclusively to periodontology and training from world-renowned institutions, including King’s College London and New York University, Dr Tinti brings an unparalleled level of expertise to gum-related treatments. His philosophy is rooted in conservative, thoughtful care—ensuring that every procedure not only enhances aesthetics but also protects and preserves your long-term gum health. Patients consistently describe Dr Tinti as “thoughtful, calm, and gentle,” qualities that provide reassurance when considering any treatment involving the gums.

Five Clear Signs You May Benefit from Gum Reshaping

1. Your Teeth Appear Unusually Short or Small

One of the most obvious indicators that you might benefit from crown lengthening or laser gum treatment is when your teeth appear disproportionately short compared to your gums. Even if your teeth are actually of normal length beneath the gum line, excessive gum tissue can create the visual impression of small, stubby teeth.

This concern is particularly common among patients seeking smile makeovers. Dr Mark Hughes, founder of Harley Street Dental Studio and one of only 16 Accredited Members of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry worldwide, has completed over 20,000 veneer cases throughout his distinguished career. He often explains that the perfect smile is not just about the teeth themselves—it’s about achieving harmony between the teeth, gums, and overall facial proportions. Often, gum reshaping is an essential first step before cosmetic work such as veneers or crowns, creating the ideal canvas for a truly stunning result.

Gum contouring may be the answer if you think your teeth are too small or not prominent enough.

2. More Than 3-4mm of Gum Shows When You Smile

Whilst there’s no single “perfect” amount of gum visibility, dental aesthetics experts generally agree that showing more than 3-4 millimetres of gum tissue when you smile fully can create an imbalanced appearance. If you’ve ever measured your gum exposure (or simply feel that a significant amount of pink tissue is visible when you smile), this is a strong indicator that you might benefit from treatment.

The beauty of modern laser gum treatment in London is its precision. At 52 Harley Street, our clinicians can meticulously reshape your gum line millimetre by millimetre, creating natural-looking results that perfectly complement your unique facial structure. This level of precision is possible thanks to advanced dental laser technology, which allows for controlled, accurate tissue removal with minimal discomfort and excellent healing outcomes.

3. Your Gum Line is Uneven or Asymmetrical

Sometimes the issue isn’t simply the amount of gum tissue visible but rather an uneven or asymmetrical gum line. Perhaps one side of your smile shows more gum than the other, or individual teeth have different amounts of gum coverage, creating a “choppy” or irregular appearance.

This asymmetry can occur naturally or may develop over time due to factors such as genetics, gum disease, or certain medications. Regardless of the cause, an uneven gum line can significantly impact the overall harmony of your smile.

Crown lengthening and laser gum contouring are highly effective solutions for creating symmetry. Dr Tinti’s meticulous approach—honed through his Master of Science in Periodontology and years of advanced surgical training—ensures that every contour is carefully planned and executed. His collaborative work with the clinic’s cosmetic experts, including his award-winning partnership with Dr Hughes on the Interdisciplinary Smile Award in 2009, demonstrates the seamless integration of specialist periodontal care with aesthetic dentistry that defines our approach at Harley Street Dental Studio.

4. You Hide Your Smile Due to Self-Consciousness

Perhaps the most telling sign that you could benefit from gum reshaping isn’t visible in the mirror—it’s how you feel. If you find yourself:

• Covering your mouth when you laugh
• Avoiding smiling broadly in photographs
• Feeling anxious about social situations where you might need to smile
• Wishing you could feel more confident about your appearance

…then it’s time to explore your options. At Harley Street Dental Studio, we believe that everyone deserves to smile with genuine confidence. Our CEO and Clinical Director, Dr Adam Thorne, is renowned for his patient-centred approach and certified expertise in treating anxious patients. His philosophy that “no two people or mouths are the same” ensures that every consultation begins with listening—truly understanding your concerns, your goals, and what a confident smile would mean for your life.

Dr Thorne’s promise to patients is to provide “pain-free and stress-free dental care in a calm and relaxing environment.” This commitment to exceptional patient experience, combined with his advanced training from institutions including the prestigious Pankey Institute in Florida, means you can feel completely at ease discussing your concerns and exploring whether gum treatment is right for you.

5. You’re Planning Cosmetic Dental Work

If you’re already considering a smile makeover—whether that involves porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, or orthodontic treatment—addressing your gum line first can dramatically enhance your final results. Many patients don’t realise that even the most beautifully crafted veneers or perfectly aligned teeth can appear less than ideal if the gum line doesn’t frame them correctly.

Crown lengthening is often an integral component of comprehensive smile transformations at 52 Harley Street. By creating the optimal tooth-to-gum ratio before other cosmetic work begins, we ensure that your new smile is not only beautiful but also perfectly balanced and natural-looking.

This multidisciplinary approach reflects the clinic’s founding vision. When Dr Hughes established Harley Street Dental Studio in 2004, his mission was to create a centre of excellence that merged the very best of contemporary dentistry with an unparalleled level of patient care. The practice he built—and which Dr Thorne helped expand through the formation of the Harley Street Dental Group in 2008—brings together “only the very best dental professionals in the world” to address even the most complex dental needs. This collaborative expertise means that your gummy smile treatment is never considered in isolation but rather as part of a holistic approach to creating your ideal smile.

The Harley Street Dental Studio Difference

What sets gummy smile treatment at Harley Street Dental Studio apart is the unique combination of world-class specialist expertise, cutting-edge technology, and genuine patient care. Our clinic has been recognised with numerous industry awards, including ‘Best Aesthetic Practice in the UK’ at the Smile Awards and ‘Best Dental Team’ at the Private Dentistry Awards, providing third-party validation of our commitment to excellence.

When you choose treatment at 52 Harley Street in London, you benefit from:

• Specialist periodontal expertise with Dr Tinti, who is registered on the General Dental Council’s specialist list and brings nearly two decades of focused experience
• Pioneering cosmetic vision from Dr Hughes, whose dedication to the “meeting point of art and science” in dentistry has earned him recognition as one of the world’s elite cosmetic dentists
• Patient-centred care championed by Dr Thorne, whose certified training in treating dental anxiety ensures a comfortable, stress-free experience
• Advanced laser technology that minimises discomfort, reduces recovery time, and delivers superior aesthetic results
• A truly collaborative approach where specialists work seamlessly together to ensure optimal outcomes for your overall smile health and beauty

Your Journey to Smile Confidence Starts Here

A gummy smile doesn’t have to hold you back from expressing joy, confidence, and your true personality. Crown lengthening and laser gum treatment in London offer safe, effective, and transformative solutions that can dramatically enhance both the appearance of your smile and how you feel about yourself.

If you’ve recognised yourself in any of the five signs discussed in this article, the next step is simple: arrange a consultation with our expert team. During this comprehensive assessment, we’ll listen to your concerns, examine your unique smile anatomy, and create a completely bespoke treatment plan designed specifically for your needs and aesthetic goals.

Ready to discover your smile’s full potential? Contact Harley Street Dental Studio today. Get in touch! Your journey to a beautifully balanced, confident smile begins with a conversation—and we’d be delighted to help you take that first step.