Gum Lift - Gum Contouring

Gum Lift and Gum Contouring, Joppa Dentist

Do your teeth appear shorter than is considered attractive or ideal? When you smile, do you feel like you are showing excessive amounts of gum tissue? Perhaps you feel as though you have too little gum tissue and it seems as though it is receding. Whatever your problem is with this aspect of your smile, there is a procedure that can help. This is referred to as gum contouring, although in the case of excess gum tissue you may also hear of it being called a gum lift.

Causes of uneven gums

Every smile is completely unique, and yours is no exception. This means that there may be lots of things that are different about the way that your smile appears, and there are a number of factors that can cause there to be too much or too little gum tissue.

If you have excess gum tissue and your teeth appear smaller than average, there could be several different things to blame. Genetics play a huge role in our characteristics, and if your parents or grandparents have a similar smile to you, this could be the case for you. However, certain health problems and some prescription drugs can also cause you to have enlarged gums.

Alternatively, if you have receding gums and your teeth seem abnormally long, there is a good chance you are suffering from moderate to advanced periodontal disease. This occurs when bacteria move from the teeth onto the gums, causing swelling, infection and tooth recession. This can lead to exposure of the tooth root, making tooth loss a very real possibility.

What happens during a gum lift or gum contouring procedure?

Both a gum lift and gum contouring procedure focus on reshaping the gum line to restore more natural proportions to your teeth. This will make your gum line appear more even and enhance the natural beauty of your smile.

Exactly what will happen during your procedure will depend on how adversely your gums are affected and what changes are needed to improve their appearance. In most instances gum reshaping procedures are performed under local anesthetic, although sedation may be possible should you require it.

If you are unhappy with the appearance of your gums and would like more information on gum lift and gum contouring, our friendly and dedicated dental team would be happy to give you all of the advice and support you need. Please get in touch with us today to schedule your consultation.

Typically, gum contouring procedures remove no more than 2mm of tissue from the area. Once you are suitably comfortable, Dr. Saccoh will use handheld tools to reshape the gum tissue so that it is aesthetically improved. The entire process normally takes under an hour.

If you need to have more than 2mm of gum tissue removed, then you may be given a gum lift. This is performed in the same way, but since there is more tissue being removed, the process can take a little longer. The gum tissue can then be manipulated to create an even gum line.

Contact our office in Joppa, MD if you are interested in learning more about a Gum Lift/ Gum Contouring.

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