How does Dr. Lam correct a deficient premaxilla (the area under the nose at the point where the nose joins the lip.)?
The premaxilla is the bony area right below the nose, where the central nose meets the upper lip. This area is at times deficient in the Asian nose. A deficient premaxilla can lead to a gummy smile, i.e., too much gum showing when you smile. In the past, Dr. Lam used larger silicone implants to correct this deficiency. However, some patients can actually feel this implant when they smile or move their mouth. For these reasons, Dr. Lam prefers your own cartilage instead.
