Do you smile with a hand near your mouth, just in case?
Some people call it a gummy smile — when a smile tends to show more gum than tooth, not because anything's wrong, just because of how the lip and gum happen to sit. If you've caught yourself covering your mouth or softening a laugh for a photo, a laser gum lift (also known as gum contouring) is a gentle way to reveal more of the tooth that's already there, without touching the tooth itself. We'll talk you through whether it's actually worth exploring before anything is decided. This is one of the laser dental treatments we offer, alongside laser cavity treatment and laser ceramic debonding.
It's usually a habit you didn't choose.
A gummy smile — a smile that shows more gum than tooth — rarely feels like one big thing to the person living with it. It's more a collection of small adjustments you've made without really deciding to. If a few of these sound familiar, it's worth a calm conversation, nothing more.
- A hand that drifts near your mouth when you laugh, just in case.
- Smiling with your top lip pulled down, slightly, out of habit.
- Feeling like your teeth look "short" even though a dentist has never said so.
- A smile that feels like it's mostly gum in group photos.
- Being told you have a "gummy smile" and not loving how that sounds.
- Holding back a wide, open laugh in photos, without really noticing you're doing it.
What a laser gum lift — or gum contouring — actually is.
A laser gum lift — also called gum contouring, and often searched as a gummy smile treatment — reshapes the gumline rather than the teeth themselves. Using a Fotona dental laser, small, carefully planned amounts of excess gum tissue are gently removed to reveal more of the natural tooth surface that's already sitting underneath. The tooth isn't shortened or altered — the change happens entirely at the gum.
Because the laser works with a fine, focused beam of light, it's suited to this kind of precise, small-scale reshaping. It's usually done under local anaesthetic, in a single in-chair appointment, and the amount of gum adjusted is planned together beforehand so the result sits in proportion with your smile and face — not to a fixed template.
Why we use a laser for this.
- Precise, controlled reshaping. The laser lets us adjust gum tissue in small, deliberate amounts, guided by a plan we make together beforehand.
- Designed to feel calm and controlled. The laser's light energy seals tiny vessels as it works, and local anaesthetic is used throughout the appointment.
- Usually a single visit. Most gum contouring with the Fotona laser is completed in one in-chair appointment, without the need for stitches in most cases.
Laser gum contouring is a minor surgical procedure. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks, and comfort and healing vary between individuals — we'll explain what's realistic for your gums at your consultation, before anything is decided.
Is this actually worth exploring?
You don't need to arrive certain. Here's a rough, honest guide to who tends to get the most out of a conversation about gum contouring — and who might want to start somewhere else first.
This might be worth a conversation if...
- You feel like your smile shows more gum than tooth when you laugh.
- Your teeth feel shorter than they look up close in the mirror.
- You've been curious about "gum contouring" but never actually asked anyone about it.
- You'd like a change that reshapes the gum, without touching the teeth themselves.
This might not be the place to start if...
- Your gum health hasn't been assessed by a dentist recently — we start there either way.
- You're chasing an exact look from a photo rather than what suits your own smile and face.
- You haven't had a general check-up in a while — we like any gum health matters addressed first.
What the visits look like.
Laser gum contouring usually follows a short, unhurried path. Here's what most people go through, so there are no surprises.
Consultation & assessment
We look at your gum and bone health, talk through what you'd like to see change, and explain honestly whether laser contouring suits your gums.
Planning your gumline
We map out how much tissue can be reshaped while keeping healthy proportions — planned around your own smile and face, not a fixed look.
The laser appointment
Local anaesthetic is used, then the Fotona laser gently reshapes the gumline in-chair, following the plan agreed beforehand.
Healing check
A short follow-up to see how your gums are settling and to answer anything that's come up since your appointment.
Review appointment
Once healed, we check the shape and health of your gums together and talk through anything further, if it's genuinely needed.
What to expect while your gums settle.
Most people describe the days after treatment as mildly tender rather than painful, and are usually comfortable returning to normal activities the same or next day. Softer foods for the first day or two tend to feel more comfortable while the gum settles.
Healing time varies from person to person — many people find their gums feel settled within one to two weeks, though this depends on how much reshaping was involved and your own healing. We'll go through what's realistic for you specifically at your consultation, and check in at your healing and review appointments.
Shaped around your smile, not a template.
Planned before it's touched
We map out your gumline together before any laser treatment begins, so the result is planned around your own face — not a one-size template.
A calm, precise appointment
The Fotona laser is designed for controlled, gentle work, and local anaesthetic is used throughout — we talk you through each step as it happens.
Reviewed until it's settled
A healing check and a review appointment are part of the process, not an afterthought, so we can catch anything early.
The things people usually ask.
Not sure if this is for you?
A short consultation is usually all it takes to understand whether laser gum contouring suits your gums. If you'd like to ask a few things first, give us a call — we're happy to talk it through.
Book a consultation (03) 8358 2565Caroline Springs Clinic
Information on this page is general in nature. Suitability, comfort and healing vary between individuals — we'll examine your gums and explain what's realistic for your situation before you decide anything.
Major health funds
Let's work out what your smile needs.
A short consultation is usually enough to tell whether a laser gum lift is worth exploring for you — and to give you a clear, honest picture before you decide anything.