Periodontal Plastic Surgery
Gummy Smile
Do you feel your teeth are too short? Do you show a lot of gum when you smile? If so aesthetic crown lengthening (called a gum lift on TV makeover shows) may be the solution. During this procedure, excess gum is gently removed to reveal more of your natural tooth. The gum line is sculpted to provide the optimum appearance for your smile.
Before crown lengthening and the final result.
Gum recession, long teeth
Receding gums can be a result of Periodontal Disease, or over vigorous tooth brushing, or because of tooth positioning so that the tooth does not sit fully within the natural “envelope” of the jawbone. This can result in sensitive teeth, increased risk of root decay, unsightly appearance and if left untreated can sometimes progress to loosening of the tooth.
Before and after gum grafting
Gum grafts and other root coverage procedures, are designed to cover exposed roots to minimize further recession and protect at risk roots from decay.
Another image of before and after successful gum grafting
Loss of Contour and indentations in the jawbone in the Smile Line
Tooth loss can result in an indentation in the jawbone where the tooth used to be, resulting in an unsightly appearance when talking or smiling. This happens because the tooth socket bone recedes when the tooth is removed resulting in an indentation and loss of the natural contour or “root eminence”. It causes the replacement tooth to look too long compared to the adjacent teeth. Procedures called ridge augmentation using soft tissue grafts to “bulk” out the loss of contour, so that a new replacement tooth can be made that is natural looking, easy to clean and beautiful.
