A gummy smile consultation at Core Aesthetics involves an honest assessment of the likely cause of excess gum visibility during smiling. Suitability is always determined in an individual consultation, before any treatment is considered.
A gummy smile consultation at Core Aesthetics is an honest clinical assessment of what is causing your upper gum to be more visible than you would like when smiling. wrinkle injection is not appropriate for all causes of a gummy smile, and understanding what is driving it in your individual case is the most important outcome of the consultation.
All consultations at Core Aesthetics are conducted by Corey AndersonAHPRA registered nurse, the sole treating practitioner at the clinic. You can read more about the consultation process in our article on what happens at an injectables consultation.
“There is no obligation to proceed. The consultation is where the honest conversation happens.”
Treating Practitioner
| Name | Corey Anderson |
| Profession | Registered Nurse |
| AHPRA | |
| Registered since | January 1996 |
What Causes This Concern
A gummy smile can result from overactivity of the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi (LLSAN) muscle that lifts the upper lip, from a naturally short upper lip, from the vertical position of the upper teeth, or from the underlying jaw structure. wrinkle injection is most appropriate where the primary driver is LLSAN overactivity. Where the cause is primarily dental or skeletal, injectable treatment will have limited effect and a specialist dentist or orthodontist is the more appropriate pathway. Your practitioner will assess the likely contributing factors honestly during your consultation.
What the Consultation Covers
Corey will assess your upper lip movement and muscle activity during smiling, evaluate the degree of gum visibility and its probable cause, and give you an honest recommendation about whether wrinkle treatment is appropriate for your situation. Read more on our gummy smile treatment page.
Related Areas
Gummy smile treatment uses the same class of prescription injectable as other wrinkle treatments. See our wrinkle treatments hub for the full range and our lip consultation page for related lip treatment discussions.
About the Treatment
All wrinkle treatment at Core Aesthetics uses prescription injectable product individually assessed and administered. Read more on our gummy smile treatment page and our wrinkle treatments hub.
Located in Oakleigh, Serving Melbourne’s South East
Core Aesthetics is at 12A Atherton Road, Oakleigh VIC 3166. Accessible from Carnegie, Chadstone, Murrumbeena, Huntingdale, Bentleigh and Clayton. Open Tuesday to Saturday by appointment.
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Safety, Suitability and Clinical Assessment
All aesthetic treatment procedures carry risk. The suitability assessment at consultation identifies any contraindications or relative risk factors specific to your circumstances, including medical history, current medications, previous procedures, and anatomical features that may affect the risk profile for a given treatment area. This information is reviewed before any treatment is planned.
For certain conditions and medications, injectable treatments are not appropriate, or require modification of technique or timing. For others, the treating practitioner may recommend that you consult with your primary healthcare provider before proceeding. These are clinical judgements that can only be made with accurate, complete medical history information, which is why the consultation history taking process is thorough.
Complication recognition and initial management are part of the clinical competency required of practitioners performing injectable treatments under AHPRA’s September 2025 guidelines for nonsurgical cosmetic procedures. The practitioner at Core Aesthetics holds current training in this area and maintains the relevant management supplies on site. Understanding that risk exists and is actively managed is more useful than assuming risk does not exist.
Review Appointments and Ongoing Care
A review appointment at four to six weeks is a standard part of every treatment cycle at Core Aesthetics. The review is not contingent on whether you have concerns, it is a clinical standard that applies to every patient. At review, the practitioner assesses the result across all treated areas, compares the outcome to the pretreatment clinical photographs, identifies any asymmetry or variation in response between sides, and determines whether any adjustment is appropriate within the same treatment cycle.
The review is also where longitudinal data about how your specific anatomy responds to treatment is recorded. Over multiple treatment cycles, this accumulated data allows the practitioner to refine the dosing and approach to better match your individual response pattern, which is one of the most significant advantages of maintaining a consistent treating practitioner rather than moving between clinics.
If you have any concerns in the period between your treatment and your review appointment, contact the clinic directly. The practitioner who treated you has the clinical context to respond accurately to any post treatment question, which is preferable to relying on general online information that may not reflect your specific situation.
What the Assessment Covers
The assessment at the consultation appointment is a face wide evaluation, not a focused review of only the area you have identified as a concern. This full face approach is deliberate: anatomical features interact with each other, and addressing one area in isolation, without understanding the broader facial context, can produce results that look disproportionate even when the individual area was technically treated well.
The practitioner evaluates facial symmetry, bone structure, soft tissue distribution, skin quality, and the dynamic movement patterns associated with each treatment area. The history taking covers your current medications, any previous injectable or surgical procedures, relevant health conditions, and any prior reactions or complications. From this assessment, the practitioner develops a treatment plan that reflects your specific anatomy and circumstances.
Results vary between individuals. What the assessment finds in one patient may be different from what it finds in another patient with a similar presenting concern, which is why templated treatment protocols are not used here. All treatments at Core Aesthetics are consultation based and individually assessed.
The Long-Term Approach
Most patients who pursue aesthetic treatment are thinking about the long term, even when they are not sure how to articulate that. The question is not just “what can I have done today” but “how do I age well over the next decade”. Those are different questions, and they require different conversations.
At Core Aesthetics, the planning conversation is oriented towards the long term. What does gradual maintenance look like over several years? Which areas are the highest priority given current changes? When should treatment begin, and when is it appropriate to wait? What is the realistic trajectory if treatment is maintained consistently versus started later?
These questions are best answered in the context of an individual assessment, because the answers depend on anatomy, rate of change, starting point, and personal goals, all of which vary. The consultation is where that conversation happens. Results vary between individuals, and a long term plan reflects that variability rather than applying a standard approach.
What AHPRA Registration Means in Practice
AHPRA registration is the regulatory standard for health practitioners in Australia, covering nurses, doctors, and other registered health professionals. For patients seeking aesthetic treatment, choosing an AHPRA-registered practitioner has practical implications that go beyond the credential itself.
AHPRA-registered practitioners are bound by professional codes of conduct, continuing education requirements, and the standards set by their individual registering boards. For registered nurses performing cosmetic procedures, AHPRA’s September 2025 guidelines for nonsurgical cosmetic procedures establish specific requirements around consultation structure, cooling off periods, advertising, and scope of practice.
These requirements exist because the regulatory framework recognises that aesthetic treatments involve prescription medicines, carry clinical risk, and require professional clinical judgement, not just procedural technique. A practitioner operating outside this framework, or in a setting where the regulatory requirements are not met, is operating in a context that does not provide the same patient protections. Corey Anderson, registered nurse (AHPRA NMW0001047575), meets the requirements of the current regulatory framework across all aspects of practice.
About This Information
The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes. It is not a substitute for clinical advice and does not constitute a recommendation that you proceed with any particular treatment. Aesthetic treatments are prescription medical procedures. They carry risks that vary between individuals and that must be assessed and discussed in a clinical context before any treatment decision is made.
At Core Aesthetics, Corey Anderson assesses every patient individually. The consultation is the point at which your specific anatomy, medical history, and goals are evaluated together. No treatment is offered at a first appointment, and no treatment is appropriate for everyone. This page is a starting point, a way to understand what is involved before you decide whether a consultation is the right next step for you.
If you have questions about anything on this page or about whether treatment might be appropriate for your situation, you are welcome to call the clinic or book a consultation at no obligation.
This page provides clinical information about Gummy Smile Consultation Melbourne, Oakleigh. It is intended for adults aged 18 and over who are considering aesthetic treatment and want to understand the clinical process, suitability factors, and what to expect from a consultation based practice. All treatment decisions at Core Aesthetics follow individual assessment, no treatment is offered at a first appointment without a separate consultation. Results vary between individuals and are reviewed at follow up.
Is this for you?
Consider booking a consultation if
- You want an unhurried clinical conversation before any treatment is considered
- You are 18 or older and weighing whether aesthetic treatments are right for you
- You want to understand risks, realistic expectations, and the regulatory framework that applies to aesthetic treatments in Australia
- You want a written record of what was discussed, considered, and recommended
This may not be for you if
- You are seeking same day treatment without an assessment
- You are under 18 years of age
- You expect a clinic that prescribes a treatment plan before meeting you
Suitability is confirmed at consultation. This list is general guidance, not a substitute for clinical assessment.
Frequently asked questions
What does the gummy smile consultation cover?
Upper lip elevator muscle activity, the proportion of upper gum exposure during smiling, dental position behind the smile, lip length and dynamic, and whether the cause is muscular (treatable with injectables) or anatomical (requiring dental or surgical referral).
How does the assessment distinguish muscular from anatomical gummy smile?
By watching the smile dynamic in different positions, assessing how high the upper lip elevates during smiling, and reviewing dental and skeletal anatomy. Some gummy smiles are pure dental position; in those cases, injectable treatment will not change the visible result. Results vary between individuals.
Why is the gummy smile dose so small?
The upper lip elevator muscles are small and active. Over treatment can flatten the smile in ways the client doesn’t want. The dose is typically just a few units per side, and the challenge is precise placement rather than volume.
How quickly will the effect on a gummy smile be visible?
Most clients notice softening between five and ten days, with the full settled effect at approximately three weeks. The settled effect lasts two to four months in most clients before retreatment becomes appropriate. Results vary between individuals.
What if the recommendation is no injectable treatment?
When the cause is dental or skeletal rather than muscular, the consultation may recommend dental or surgical referral instead. Injectable treatment placed for a non muscular gummy smile will not address the visible concern and may flatten the smile undesirably. Results vary between individuals.
Can the gummy smile be treated alongside other wrinkle areas?
Yes when the assessment supports combining. The gummy smile dose is small and is often added to a broader upper face treatment plan. The combined plan is discussed individually at consultation.
Should I have wrinkle treatment if I want to prevent lines rather than treat existing ones?
Preventative treatment may be considered when muscle activity is consistently creating early dynamic lines, but whether it is appropriate depends on individual anatomy, age, skin quality and treatment goals. A clinical assessment is required to determine whether treatment makes sense at this point, and what dose and timing would be appropriate for your situation.
Is it safe to have wrinkle treatment while taking blood-thinning medications or supplements?
Certain medications and supplements, including aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, vitamin E and some herbal supplements, can increase bruising risk after any injectable treatment. You will be asked about these at your consultation. In most cases, treatment can proceed, though timing and approach may be adjusted. Always disclose your full medication and supplement list before any injectable appointment.