One of the most common reasons people have a gummy smile is due to a diagnosis called "altered passive eruption". With altered passive eruption, patients have normal tooth length but they are covered by the gums. Once the gums are re-contoured, the patient will show more teeth and less gums when they smile.  Esthetic crown lengthening is a permanent solution to fix a gummy smile with minimal pain. As shown in the before and after pictures, the gum is re-contoured in order to provide a more esthetic smile.