Table of contents

• Gummy Smile Botox at a Glance
• What Is Gummy Smile Botox?
• Who Is a Good Candidate for Gummy Smile Botox?
• How Is Gummy Smile Botox Performed?
• Why Visit Korea for Gummy Smile Botox?
• Key Information for International Patients
• Which Are the Best Clinics in Korea for Gummy Smile Botox?
• How Much Does Gummy Smile Botox Cost in Korea?
• Gummy Smile Botox From Start to Finish
• Alternatives to Gummy Smile Botox
• How Can I Prepare for Gummy Smile Botox?
• Aftercare Advice

Considering treatment in Korea? Everything you need to know e.g. — how to avoid scams, visas, interpreters, recovery tips — in our Medical Tourism Master Guide. Plan with confidence in minutes, not weeks!

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Last updated: September 2026

Gummy Smile Botox at a Glance

• What it does — Gummy Smile Botox uses small botulinum toxin type A injections to temporarily relax upper-lip elevator muscles so less gum shows during a broad smile; the injection itself usually takes minutes.
• Best candidates — It is best suited to healthy adults whose gum display is mainly caused by a hypermobile upper lip, rather than excess gum tissue, short-looking teeth, tooth-position issues, or vertical maxillary excess.
• Cost in Korea — Typical pricing is ₩200,000–₩400,000, about US$100–$300, with the quote depending on the smile pattern, muscles treated, toxin product, and product-specific dose.
• Results and longevity — Relaxation may start in 3–7 days, the settled result is reviewed at 10–14 days, and peak gum-display reduction is assessed at 2–4 weeks; effects generally last about 12–24 weeks.
• Recovery and travel — There is usually no formal downtime, and patients can eat, speak, walk, and return to desk work the same day; international visitors should ideally allow 2–3 days in Korea and arrange remote follow-up after returning home.
• Key limitation and risk — Botox does not correct gum, tooth, bite, or jaw causes of a gummy smile, and imprecise muscle selection can cause temporary asymmetry, lip droop, a flattened smile, speech changes, or difficulty controlling fluids.
• Korea distinction — The Yonsei-point landmark was described by researchers at Yonsei University College of Dentistry in Seoul, but no comparative evidence shows Korean treatment produces safer, longer-lasting, or better results than treatment elsewhere.

What Is Gummy Smile Botox?

Gummy Smile Botox uses small botulinum toxin injections to relax upper-lip muscles that lift strongly during smiling. It temporarily reduces visible upper gum for people whose gummy smile is mainly caused by an overactive upper lip, rather than a tooth, gum, bite, or jaw concern. It is a minimally invasive, non-surgical injection treatment.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Gummy Smile Botox?

• Hypermobile upper lip — Good candidates show excessive upper gum primarily because the upper lip lifts strongly during a broad, natural smile, while tooth and gum proportions are otherwise appropriate.
• Stable adult concern — Adults in good general health who want a temporary, non-surgical reduction in gum display and accept the need for repeat treatment are suitable to assess.
• Dynamic smile pattern — Candidates need examination at rest, during a gentle smile, and at maximum smile. Full-smile photos or video help identify anterior, posterior, mixed, or asymmetric gum display.
• Realistic treatment goal — The aim is less gum exposure, not a guaranteed gum-free smile. A meta-analysis estimated an average 3.42 mm reduction at two weeks, but results varied substantially between studies because of patient selection, toxin formulation, dose, target muscles, and measurement methods in the available evidence.

Do not proceed with a known allergy to the selected botulinum-toxin product, infection or an open lesion at an injection site, myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, significant peripheral motor neuropathy, or current swallowing, speech, or breathing difficulty. Postpone cosmetic treatment during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or when trying to conceive because adequate human safety data are lacking. Botox does not correct altered passive eruption, gum enlargement, worn or short-looking teeth, tooth-position problems, a short upper lip, or marked vertical maxillary excess; dental, periodontal, orthodontic, or jaw assessment is needed when these contributors are suspected. Gummy smile is often multifactorial, so the treating clinician should assess gingival health, tooth display, upper-lip length and mobility, and skeletal factors before injection.

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How Is Gummy Smile Botox Performed?

The injection plan should follow the muscles and smile pattern creating the gum display, rather than a fixed dose or a single landmark. Published reviews find wide variation in products, doses, depths, dilutions, and injection points, with no standardized regimen established across the literature.

• Anterior pattern — Gum show is greatest around the central incisors and canines. Treatment often targets the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi (LLSAN), sometimes with the levator labii superioris (LLS).
• Posterior pattern — Gum show is more visible around the premolars or molars. This pattern requires assessment of broader lip-elevator and zygomatic muscle activity and is less suited to a simple anterior injection plan.
• Mixed pattern — Anterior and posterior gum display coexist. Carefully selected treatment of more than one muscle region can be necessary.
• Yonsei-point technique — A point near each nasal ala intended to affect the LLSAN, LLS, and zygomaticus minor region. The landmark was described by researchers at Yonsei University College of Dentistry, but its Korean origin does not prove superior outcomes; individualized muscle selection remains better supported by the systematic-review evidence.
• Individualized direct-muscle technique — The clinician marks sites while observing animation and adapts placement for asymmetry, mixed patterns, prior treatment, and the dominant direction of upper-lip pull.
• Product-specific dosing — “Botox” is commonly used as a consumer term, but Botox Cosmetic is a brand of onabotulinumtoxinA. Other botulinum toxin type A products can be offered. Units are product-specific and must never be converted unit-for-unit between brands.

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Why Visit Korea for Gummy Smile Botox?

Korea has a procedure-specific academic connection through the Yonsei-point description, but this is not proof that treatment in Korea is safer, longer lasting, or more effective. No comparative clinical studies were located showing superior Korean gummy-smile Botox outcomes over treatment elsewhere. The practical priority is a properly qualified injector who performs dynamic smile and dental assessment before offering toxin.

• Yonsei academic origin — The Yonsei point was described by researchers at Yonsei University College of Dentistry in Seoul, providing a Korean research connection to upper-lip elevator injection anatomy documented in the literature.
• Assessment before injection — Look for a clinic that evaluates periodontal health, tooth proportions, upper-lip mobility, smile symmetry, and possible orthodontic or skeletal contributors rather than treating a posed photograph alone.
• Authentic product documentation — Ask for the exact toxin brand, product-specific units, lot number, expiry date, injection sites, and clinician contact details. This is especially important for cross-border follow-up and for avoiding unlawfully supplied products; regulators have warned about risks from illegally marketed botulinum-toxin products in other markets.
• Off-label status to verify — A targeted search did not identify a clear patient-facing Korean MFDS label specifically approving botulinum toxin for excessive gingival display. Confirm current Korean labeling, the provider’s scope, and facility requirements directly with the treating provider and, where relevant, the MFDS.
• Evidence limitation — The evidence supports temporary short-term benefit in selected muscle-driven cases, but studies are small and protocols differ materially. The 2024 review identified 13 prospective controlled trials and did not establish one best technique or universal protocol.

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Key Information for International Patients

• Minimum stay — Clinical treatment usually requires one day. Plan 2–3 days in Korea when possible: one day for in-person assessment, consent, and injection, followed by time to report an early concern before departure.
• Result timing — Early muscle relaxation can appear in 3–7 days. Arrange photo or video review at 10–14 days; peak gum-display reduction is generally assessed at 2–4 weeks, after most visitors have returned home.
• Flight timing — No gummy-smile-specific controlled evidence requires delaying commercial flights after an uncomplicated facial botulinum-toxin injection. Avoid booking treatment immediately before a major event or final departure day because bruising, swelling, and temporary asymmetry can occur.
• Daily itinerary — Patients generally walk, eat, speak, and return to desk work on the same day. There is no anesthesia recovery, incision care, dressing, routine wound check, or required companion.
• Repeat visits — Effects are temporary, generally lasting about 12–24 weeks with a trend toward return to baseline thereafter in systematic-review evidence. A future treatment can usually be arranged locally rather than requiring another trip to Korea.
• Remote follow-up — Leave with a written record of the product, product-specific units, injection sites, date, lot number, and clinic contact information. Send consistent front and side smile photos or join a video review at 10–14 days.

Travel note: Do not plan a touch-up before the initial result has fully declared itself. Early unevenness is not a reliable basis for additional toxin.

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Which Are the Best Clinics in Korea for Gummy Smile Botox?

Listed below are some of the best clinics in Korea for gummy smile botox.

1. id Hospital Korea

You may consider id Hospital Korea if you want Gummy Smile Botox evaluated within a broader facial-treatment setting: the hospital lists petit plastic surgery and skin-clinic care alongside dentistry, facial contouring, and orthognathic surgery, which may be relevant when the amount of gum show needs assessment in the context of your smile and facial balance.

• URL: id Hospital Korea Website
• Location: Gangnam-gu, Seoul
• Relevant care setting:
  • Lists petit plastic surgery and skin-clinic treatments.
  • Also provides dentistry, facial contouring, and orthognathic surgery services.
  • Describes customized treatment planning, patient-safety-oriented care, and systematic post-care.

2. DATENA CLINIC

You can expect Gummy Smile Botox to fit within DATENA CLINIC’s customized facial-aesthetic planning. The clinic offers Botox to relax targeted facial muscles and includes design Botox among individualized treatment plans, making a consultation important for defining the expression and contour concerns you want addressed.

• URL: DATENA CLINIC Website
• Location: Songpa-gu, Seoul
• Botox approach:
  • Offers Botox for relaxing targeted facial muscles, softening expression lines, and refining facial contours.
  • Lists design Botox, jaw Botox, and skin Botox within customized treatment plans.
• Related facial treatments:
  • Provides fillers planned around facial proportions and treatment goals.
  • Offers contouring injections, which may be combined with lifting devices, fillers, or Botox when appropriate.
  • Offers Ultherapy and InMode FX + Forma for non-surgical lifting, elasticity, and facial-contour planning.

3. Diore Clinic

You may consider Diore Clinic for Gummy Smile Botox if you are looking for an aesthetic clinic with injectable and facial-contouring services near Gangnam Station. Its menu includes injectable treatments alongside non-surgical lifting and contouring options, which can be relevant if you are also discussing overall facial balance.

• URL: Diore Clinic Website
• Location: 9th, Gangnam-daero 428, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
• Related aesthetic services:
  • Offers injectable treatments, including dermal fillers and Radiesse for selected volume and contour concerns.
  • Provides Ultherapy for non-surgical lifting and facial contouring.
  • Offers Thermage to support the appearance of skin firmness and elasticity.
  • Offers ONDA for facial-line definition and body contouring.

How Much Does Gummy Smile Botox Cost in Korea?

Gummy Smile Botox is priced at ₩200,000–₩400,000 (about US$100–$300). Individual quotes vary because the injection plan and toxin requirement must match the pattern of upper-lip elevation found during the in-person assessment.

Procedure Price	Korean Won (₩)	USD ($)
Low Price	₩200,000	$100
High Price	₩400,000	$300

Exchange rate as of 2026-09-06: 1 KRW = 0.000741 USD.

What Affects the Price?

• Smile pattern and treatment areas — An anterior pattern may target the LLSAN and sometimes the levator labii superioris, while posterior or mixed gum display can require assessment and treatment of additional lip-elevator or zygomatic muscle regions. Treating more selected regions requires more planning, injection points, and consumable toxin.
• Individualized versus landmark-based injection plan — Asymmetric or mixed gummy smiles require dynamic examination of the lip during smiling and individualized point selection rather than a simple bilateral Yonsei-point approach. This adds assessment and planning time to avoid unintended weakness, uneven lip elevation, or an overly flattened smile.
• Toxin product and product-specific dose — Botulinum-toxin type A products use non-interchangeable unit systems. The exact lawfully supplied product and the product-specific dose selected for the muscle targets determine the amount of toxin used; units cannot be compared or converted directly across brands.

Cost tip: Request an itemized quote stating what is included, including the in-person smile assessment, exact toxin product and product-specific dose, injection treatment, and any planned review or touch-up policy.

The US$100–$300 conversion is approximate, based on an exchange rate of 0.000741 KRW per USD on 2026-09-06. Check the exchange rate again when budgeting.

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Gummy Smile Botox From Start to Finish

1. First contact and remote screening — Send natural full-smile photos or short video if requested, plus information about prior facial toxin, lip or nose surgery, dental work, braces or aligners, allergies, neurological conditions, pregnancy status, medicines, and supplements. Ask whether an English-speaking consultation or interpreter can be arranged. Remote images help with scheduling but cannot establish the cause of gum display.
2. Travel coordination — Schedule the injection early enough in the trip to allow a brief local observation period. Keep flights and important social events flexible where possible, since final symmetry cannot be assessed on treatment day.
3. In-person diagnostic assessment — The clinician examines the face at rest and while smiling, measures gum and tooth display, reviews upper-lip mobility and facial asymmetry, and evaluates periodontal and dental factors. Significant gum, tooth, bite, or jaw contributors require dental, orthodontic, periodontal, or oral-maxillofacial referral rather than toxin alone.
4. Consent and injection plan — Confirm the exact product, product-specific dose, planned muscle regions, temporary nature of the effect, and the risks of under-correction, over-correction, flattened smile, lip droop, or asymmetry. Ask whether the use is off-label under the current Korean product labeling.
5. Injection — The skin is cleansed and sites are marked while the upper lip is animated. The clinician injects tiny volumes through a fine needle into selected lip-elevator muscle areas. The injection itself generally takes minutes; topical anesthetic is usually unnecessary, and sedation is not routine.
6. Discharge — Leave immediately after treatment unless the clinician asks for brief observation. Receive written aftercare, an emergency contact, and a treatment record listing the product, dose, sites, date, and lot number.
7. Early recovery — Mild needle marks, redness, tenderness, swelling, or bruising around the sides of the nose or upper nasolabial folds usually settle within hours to several days. Do not judge symmetry during the first few days.
8. Remote review and future planning — Submit photos or attend a video review at about 10–14 days. Assess the settled effect at 2–4 weeks. Discuss future treatment only after gum display has returned enough to justify it; a small longitudinal study found significant recurrence beginning around month five, but it does not establish a universal retreatment schedule for all patients.

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Alternatives to Gummy Smile Botox

The right alternative depends on why gum shows during smiling. Botox is temporary and treats excessive upper-lip elevation; dental and surgical treatments can address gum, tooth, bite, or jaw anatomy more directly but involve greater commitment, recovery, or both.

Gum Contouring or Crown Lengthening

• Best for — Altered passive eruption, gingival overgrowth, or teeth that look short because gum tissue covers enamel.
• Tradeoff — This can change visible tooth-to-gum proportions more durably, but does not reduce a hypermobile upper lip. Read about gum contouring.

Braces or Clear Aligners

• Best for — Dentoalveolar extrusion, tooth-position issues, deep bite, or orthodontic contributors to excessive gingival display.
• Tradeoff — Orthodontic correction takes months or longer but addresses tooth and bite mechanics rather than temporarily weakening lip elevators. See braces and clear aligners.

Lip Repositioning Surgery

• Best for — Selected hypermobile-upper-lip cases when a person wants a more durable soft-tissue option than repeated toxin injections.
• Tradeoff — Surgery has incision healing, recovery, and possible recurrence. Learn more about gummy smile surgery.

Orthognathic Treatment

• Best for — Marked vertical maxillary excess, especially when skeletal imbalance or functional bite concerns coexist.
• Tradeoff — Jaw surgery is a major treatment requiring comprehensive orthodontic and surgical planning, not a substitute for a simple muscle-driven gummy smile. See double-jaw surgery.

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How Can I Prepare for Gummy Smile Botox?

• Medical disclosure — Provide the injector with a complete list of prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, supplements, allergies, prior toxin treatments, facial surgery, dental treatment, braces or aligners, neurological conditions, and any swallowing, speech, or breathing problem.
• Medicines affecting muscle function — Tell the clinic and the prescribing clinician about aminoglycoside antibiotics, curare-like agents, or muscle relaxants, which can potentiate neuromuscular blockade. Do not stop prescribed medicines without advice from the clinician who manages them.
• Bleeding and bruising risk — Discuss anticoagulants, antiplatelet medicines, non-prescription pain relievers, and supplements that can increase bruising before travel. Do not independently stop aspirin, warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants, or other prescribed treatment.
• Pregnancy and illness — Postpone treatment if pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to conceive, unwell, or if there is acne infection, inflammation, or an open lesion near the planned injection sites.
• Fasting and anesthesia — No routine fasting is needed. This treatment generally uses neither sedation nor general anesthesia.
• Alcohol and activities — Avoid heavy alcohol intake on the day before and day of treatment when possible, especially if bruising is a concern. Keep the first 24 hours free of strenuous exercise, hot yoga, sauna, and high-heat spa plans.
• Travel logistics — Book treatment before, not after, important photographs, weddings, interviews, or a long-haul departure. Bring identification and retain copies of consent and treatment documentation.

Travel note: Arrange accommodation with reliable internet for the 10–14-day photo or video review after returning home.

Confirm the treating doctor’s individualized pre-treatment instructions, including medication guidance and product-specific requirements, before the appointment.

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Aftercare Advice

Protect the injection areas from pressure on treatment day and allow the toxin effect to develop before judging the smile.

• Touch and posture — Remain upright for several hours after injection. Do not massage, press, use gua sha, or arrange facial manipulation over the injection areas on the day of treatment.
• Activity and heat — Avoid strenuous exercise, sauna, hot yoga, and heavy alcohol for about 24 hours. These are pragmatic precautions; high-quality gummy-smile-specific evidence for exact restrictions is limited.
• Bruising care — Use a cool compress lightly for bruising or swelling. Do not press or rub the upper nasolabial area. Apply makeup later that day with clean hands and a light touch if there is no active bleeding.
• Appearance timeline — Small marks, redness, tenderness, swelling, or bruising usually settle within hours to several days. Initial change often begins in 3–7 days; assess symmetry at 10–14 days and the maximum effect at 2–4 weeks.
• Warning signs — Contact the clinic promptly for worsening asymmetry, pronounced upper-lip weakness, trouble drinking or controlling fluids, new speech difficulty, marked pain, spreading redness or warmth, rash, hives, or unexpected facial or eyelid droop. Seek emergency care for breathing, swallowing, or speaking difficulty, generalized weakness, or signs of a serious allergic reaction.

Follow the treating doctor’s instructions over general guidance and contact the clinic promptly when anything appears wrong.