GUM RECONTOURING

Check out our most commonly asked questions

A beautiful and perfect smile is a combination of variety of factors. Among these the most important are the shape and size of the teeth in proportion to the gums. The right proportion of gums to teeth is important otherwise a smile can become a cause of embarrassment..

So in a situation where the gums cover too much of the teeth or are highly visible on smiling, it is referred to as a ‘Gummy Smile’. For patients specifically with gums covering too much of their teeth, there is a solution in cosmetic dentistry called as Gum Reshaping. This cosmetic dental procedure can even out an uneven gum line and give you a smile you can be proud of.

Most people have their gums reshaped to improve the appearance of their smile. Gum Recontouring can be done in t he following situations :

  • When gum line extends too low and covers too much of the teeth.
  • If the shape of the gum s is not in line with the shape of the teeth..
  • Asymmetrical gum line, lower or higher on a single tooth.
  • Swollen gums due to periodontal (gum) disease.
  • Drug induced gum enlargement.

If any of the above reasons causes you to hide your smile or has a negative effect on your self-confidence, affecting your mental welfare, than gum recontouring is a procedure worthy of consideration.

Gum reshaping is a procedure which is most commonly done using a scalpel or soft tissue lasers to trim away the excessive gum covering the front teeth. The healing process is relatively quick, but faster if lasers are used. Sometimes reshaping of the gum i s not enough and the cosmetic dentist may have to remove some of the bone surrounding the teeth as well. Bone removal is done only when there is reduced space between bone and gums, as the gums may grow back otherwise.

Before the procedure is carried out, a thorough analysis is done with study models and photographs. The amount of tissue to be removed is marked on the models; the distance is calculated and transferred to the mouth either with a stent or with the help of tissue markers..

Benefits of Using Lasers over Scalpel

Lasers are considered extremely effective in reshaping the gums due to the following reasons

  • They are quick, efficient and painless.
  • No need of anesthesia.
  • Bleeding is minimal.
  • Minimizes the risk of infection.

After gum reshaping there may be some pain and swelling which can be taken care by using some pain killers. We recommend gargling with salt water daily in order to reduce swelling.

Only through consultation with our cosmetic dentist we can determine if gum reshaping is the appropriate procedure to meet your cosmetic goals.