Gums Contouring and Reshaping: What is it?

Your teeth aren’t the only thing people notice about your smile. The tissues around them are just as important. But what if you have a gummy smile? Does your gum line make your teeth look short, squatty, or uneven? A gingival or gums contouring procedure is a safe and proven way to enhance your smile by evening out your gums. 

From a conventional gum lift to laser gum recontouring, you can remove excess gum tissue to balance your smile and provide optimal aesthetic benefits. In addition to having healthy gum tissues to support your teeth, you also want a harmonious shape that compliments the anatomy of each tooth. But when you don’t, gingival recontouring (gums contouring) can help!

Cosmetic Gums Contouring

Often, the gum contouring procedure is performed for cosmetic purposes. For example, perhaps one tooth looks short, or there’s too much gum tissue visible when you smile. Since symmetry is essential for a beautiful, attractive smile, gum contouring serves to create the perfect “frame” around your teeth. 

During aesthetic gums contouring, the gum tissue is adjusted to have a consistent height and shape across each of your teeth. Combined with other smile makeover treatments—like veneers, bonding, or whitening—recontouring plays a crucial role in the overall balance and symmetry of your smile. Even with the whitest and straightest teeth possible, uneven gum lines can make teeth look unattractive or unhealthy. 

Osseous Pocket Reduction Surgery for Periodontal Disease

Aside from the cosmetic procedure, we might recommend gums contouring if you have periodontal disease, especially if you have deep pockets and have not achieved complete healing after periodontal therapy. This type of gum contouring procedure may be referred to as “pocket reduction.” Doing so makes those areas of your mouth easier to clean, improving the health of the tissue and the affected tooth. Dental insurance may help cover pocket reduction surgery. 

If you’ve completed periodontal therapies in the past but struggle with ongoing infection, pocket reduction surgery can help you better manage areas of bleeding or swollen gums. 

Gummy Smile Treatment

Some people have “gummy” smiles. In other words, more gum tissue shows than teeth. It is the opposite of gum recession, which is a lack of gums around the teeth. 

While some visible gums are fine, excessive tissue can make some people uncomfortable with their smile’s appearance. For cosmetic purposes, one treatment option is to numb the gums with local anesthesia (eliminating any discomfort or pain) and having our expert dentist reshape the gumlines along those areas, revealing fuller teeth with a gummy smile treatment.  

How to Treat Uneven Gums

The best treatment for uneven gums is to gently numb them and manually adjust their shape with a minimally invasive surgical tool. For the best individual results, our dentists will assess where your lips rest against your mouth when you smile, the anatomy of your teeth, and show you photos of similar cases. 

You’ll still need a fair amount of gums to cover your tooth roots, but these cosmetic procedures are ideal for smile makeovers, dental veneers treatment, or alongside braces. 

Gums Contouring: Crown and Bridge Therapy

One reason someone might need functional crown lengthening is if they have a short tooth that needs a crown or bridge bonded to its top. If there isn’t enough space for the crown/bridge to rest over the tooth, we can perform “crown lengthening,” which increases the height of the tooth by reducing the gums. 

Why are My Gums Uneven?

There are multiple reasons why someone might have a gummy smile or excessive gum tissue. Some classic examples include:

• Prescriptions you’re taking (such as blood pressure medication)
• Hormonal changes, pregnancy
• Genetics
• Scar tissue
• Inadequate tooth eruption

Treating Cavities Under Gums

One reason why a dental patient might need gum reduction surgery is if there’s a cavity tucked just under the gumline. Cavities in these spaces aren’t possible to fill. Instead, the gums are reduced to reveal the cavity; then, the dentist can remove the decay. The cost for this procedure is minimal compared to leaving the tooth alone and risking tooth loss compounded with reconstruction. 

How to Choose a Doctor for Gum Contouring

If you’re looking for a dental specialist to provide medical advice on gummy smiles, the best thing to do is speak with a periodontal expert. Periodontists are skilled at treating and managing gum health concerns, including providing painless gums recontouring. 

What to Expect During Gingivectomy

Your gingivectomy procedure will be completed with numbing medication (local anesthetic) to desensitize the tissues in that area. Some of our clients also request sedation to feel like they’re sleeping through the appointment. 

After your treatment, there will be minimal symptoms of bleeding and swelling that can be managed with anti-inflammatories, cool compresses, and medicated dressings (as needed.) 

Recover Time for Gums Reshaping

The healing time for our gingivectomy patients is about four weeks. For the first few days, you’ll want to be gentle when you’re brushing, taking care to avoid that area. The extent of your surgery will impact total recovery time, depending on how many teeth are involved. While it’s normal to feel pain or mild discomfort as your local anesthetic wears off, the healing time is fairly predictable. Just be sure to eat soft foods and keep your mouth clean, to avoid an infection. 

Like other oral surgeries, the process of recovery can differ from one person to the next. The healing process may range from a couple of days to up to 4-6 weeks, depending on the type of gums recontouring that is completed. 

A Great Choice for a Beautiful Smile

You want to feel great in your own body, especially when you’re focused on good overall health. But if you feel self-conscious about the way your teeth look because of uneven gums or gummy smiles, gum reshaping is an excellent solution. 

If you’re searching for traditional or cosmetic dentistry options for an uneven gum line, contact The Center for Advanced Periodontal and Implant Therapy to request a consultation. Our comfortable gum lifts can help you love the way your smile looks!

You May Also Like...