Cosmetic gum surgery is relatively simple and can greatly improve the appearance of your smile. Gum surgery is a solution to two types of problems: 1) a long tooth look and 2) a gummy smile. Both of these conditions are usually caused by aging, gum disease or poor oral hygiene. They progressively grow worse with age. Cosmetic gum surgery can also help people with collapsed gums in the area of a missing tooth, blackened areas between implants, crowns or other teeth and tooth sensitivity caused by receding gums.
The long tooth look is caused by receding gums or a bad bite. As we age, our gums naturally shrink and recede. This can leave your teeth overexposed at the gum line.
The gummy smile is caused by excess gum tissue, which makes the teeth appear too short. People with a gummy smile often feel self-conscious about the amount of gum tissue visible when they smile.
How is cosmetic gum surgery performed?
The gummy smile corrective surgery reduces the excess gum and bone. The dentist typically uses a laser to perform this type of surgery. A soft-tissue laser removes excess gum tissue while a specialized laser cuts away excess bone.
The procedure for correcting the long tooth look works in much the same way as a skin graft. The dentist will remove healthy skin from the roof of the mouth and graft it onto the gum line. The result is a natural looking, reinforced gum line.
Will I be awake for this procedure?
There are two possibilities:
1. For laser surgery used to correct the gummy smile, you may have the surgery done in a series of office visits under a local anesthetic. With each dental visit, your dentist will freeze the area of the gums they are working on. With every visit you could see more gum and bone tissue removed.
2. If you are having grafting done from the roof of your mouth to correct a long tooth smile, you might be given a general anesthetic and have all of the work performed at once. If you require other work to be completed, such as dental implants or preparation for veneers, then we recommend you have all of the work done while you are under anesthetic.
What should I do first?
Before undergoing any type of cosmetic gum surgery, discuss the procedure thoroughly with your dentist. This procedure may be just one aspect of an overall plan with several components to improve your smile. Periodontal surgery might be complimented with the use of veneers, bridges, crowns or other cosmetic dentistry treatments to get your smile looking its best.
Sedation and Implant Dentists offer trusted, comprehensive dental care from one convenient location in Los Angeles County. Our dentists engage in ongoing continuing education to provide patients with the latest advances in dentistry including modern dental implant solutions, custom crowns and bridges and transformative 3D technology. The team at Sedation Dentists strive to ease all patients who suffer from dental anxiety, and takes pride in offering an inviting, comfortable environment for every treatment. Sedation and Implant Dentists offer IV sedation in-house as well as nitrous oxide to patients.
