Friday, June 5, 2009

Lip Repositioning

NEW PHOTOS! Temporary Lip Repositioning at:
http://dentalnation.blogspot.com/2010/09/reversible-lip-repositioning-surgery.html


What can you do when your lips and your gums are fighting for attention, and your gums are winning? Now you have an option of a little-known procedure called lip repositioning surgery.

The photo above shows Jean's smile one week ago immediately before the procedure. This is not an exaggerated smile, but rather an easy smile she exibits in conversation. I had previously performed a laser gum lift to remove some of the tissue covering up her teeth. This helped her smile a great deal, but she still had an excessive amount of gum tissue displaying when she smiled.

Jean shared with me that she had been conscious of her gummy smile all of her life. "I try not to smile too big when I can help it," she declared.


In this second photo is Jean's smile one week postoperative to her lip repositioning surgery. I asked her to give me the highest smile that she could for this photo. "That's all I've got," she said, smiling and beaming simultaneously. "It looks great. I can't thank you enough." (Did I mention that I got a hug?)

This is remarkably simple and life changing!

During this procedure, I removed a small, shallow strip of inner cheek tissue from under Jean's upper lip. Removing this small strip of tissue and suturing the area into a new position immediately gave this result. The procedure generally takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and is painless. Jean did say that she had some discomfort for the first day or two, but that it was relieved with ibuprofen. She also said that she would do it again in a heartbeat. "I know a lot of people who could use this," she told me.

I've recently added this procedure to the list of things I like to lecture about. Contact me for further information about this if you desire.

Also visit: http://dentalnation.blogspot.com/2009/07/reason-to-smile.html for Jean's final glamour photos.

NEW PHOTOS! Temporary Lip Repositioning at:
http://dentalnation.blogspot.com/2010/09/reversible-lip-repositioning-surgery.html

14 comments:

  1. Hi this procedure is so impressive i am considering it. I have a short upperlip myself, i am young at only 17 and my lips have often been the cause of insecurities. I was wondering if the results from this operation were permanent i.e. for the rest of my life, if there was anything that could go wrong and the what priceing for this type of procedure. I would really appreciate some feedback, Nicole.

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  2. Also check out the more recent photos of Jean in "Lip Repositioning - A Reason to Smile".

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  3. Hello. I was wondering if this procedure could help me as well. I struggle to close my lips and a doctor told me that it was due to a short upper lip. Thank you, Diana

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  5. George (Czech Republic)May 11, 2010 at 2:17 PM

    Hi there, I have the same problem and just found that this procedure can help me. Can you tell me if it is possible to fix my smile ?
    Here is a photo, as you can see my lip is too high and you can see aprox. 8mm gum tissue between teeth and lip line :(
    http://madaros.ic.cz/root/gummy_smile/my_gummy.jpg

    and Im looking for information about aprox. price for this treatement, can tou tell me some number?
    thx a lot

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  6. George, I can't render a diagnosis from your photo, but my guess is that you are a great candidate for this procedure. There may be other procedures that would benefit you in smile improvement in addition. Please don't ask me about fees, as it varies so much from dentist to dentist and depending on the needs of the patient. Roughly, limiting the travel of your lip may be less than $2000 USD, but this is still a rough estimate. It could be remarkably less than that depending on your needs. We have made the procedure easy for those patients who travel a long way, and help to give you a reversible, predictable result. If you travel to Michigan to our office, I can perform the temporary procedure on the first day, and the next day you can have the permanent procedure done before you return home. It is all done in-office with local anesthetic.

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  7. How safe is lip repositioning and how long does it take to heal?

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  8. Lip repositioning is very safe and minimally invasive. Healing time is one week. People can go back to their regular routine then.

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  9. Dear doctor
    Good day
    This is Dr.Tariq , dentist from Dubai.I saw your technique and i'm interesting to improve my skills and take course or hands on training. so please do you held any courses about this technique ?? or do you recommend any courses about this technique?
    regards
    Dr.Tariq
    00971502939550

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  10. Dr. Tariq, I am scheduled for various lectures in the U.S. this year. Contact me at dr.paul.jacobs@gmail.com for more information. I would accept a speaking engagement in Dubai if you have interest. Look for my article on Lip Repositioning in the nternational Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry.

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  11. Hi,
    This treatment is very impressive, i had braces when i was 13 now i have short upper lip if i am conscious i can close my mouth but in case if i am sleeping or unconscious about it it is open,its very embarrassing,
    is this treatment helpful for me?

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    Replies
    1. Dear anonymous, Eaxh case is different, and depends on tooth, jaw, and lip positioning. Feel free to send me a couple of photos at dr.paul.jacobs@gmail.com and I may be able to give you a better idea.

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  12. Hi Dr. Jacobs,
    I had a leforte done about a year ago, which thinned out my upper lip and made it uneven. Would lip repositioning help restore some of the fullness of my old lips? My doc used a v-y closure.
    Thanks in advance for you advice.

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  13. Every case is different. Feel free to send me some photos and I might be able to give you a better idea. What was the main reason for your LeForte procedure?

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