Gingival Contouring While most people have no idea what the gingival contouring procedure is, this surgical option has been around for decades. While the technical term is gingival contouring, it boils down to gum reshaping. Each of us has a unique gum line and for some, the gums can cover a large portion of our teeth. This will make our smile appear gummy, our teeth appear too small. In other instances, the teeth appear too large, the gum tissue not coming down far enough over the teeth. Considered a cosmetic surgery, gum contouring can address and improve all of those conditions. Anyone who has either of these issues or is concerned about their smile for other reasons can come into our Implant & Periodontics Solutions office and discuss them with us. The Importance of Gingival ContouringWhile most gingival contouring surgeries occur due to cosmetic concerns, in some cases they are medically necessary. This is particularly true for those patients suffering through the devastating, late stages of periodontal disease. Our office tries every possible non-surgical procedure to save the tooth. These options can be as simple as taking antibiotics to more involved procedures such as root scaling and root planing. These are all performed in an attempt to diminish the damaging bacteria found in the oral cavity. When these options are exhausted, there are a number of surgical procedures which can help. What is the Gingival Contouring Procedure?The gingival contouring procedure is a commonly performed surgery which can be performed under a local anesthetic. As always, if a patient is overly anxious, sedation dentistry techniques will be used in the form of a general anesthetic. It is important the patient remains still and relaxed during the procedure, so no accidents happen. Patients with a gummy smile are those who have an excessive amount of gum tissue which covers a great deal of the visible surface of the tooth. This makes the teeth appear small when the patient smiles. While it makes it seem like they have short teeth, they in fact have normal-sized teeth. They only appear small because of the gum tissue which covers them. With the gingival contouring procedure, this excess tissue is removed so the entire size of the tooth can be seen when the patient smiles. In other instances, the procedure is less cosmetic than it is restorative. One example is when the gums recede from the base of the tooth, enlarging the pocket size, allowing food debris to lodge in there, which increases the likelihood of decay or disease. Recovery from Gingival ContouringThe recovery time from this surgical procedure is usually no longer than a week. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications are recommended. It is recommended that the patient be conscious of what they eat. Sharp or hard foods could potentially damage the newly contoured gumline and require additional surgery to repair. Those patients who have looked in the mirror and longed for a new gumline to improve their smile or are in need of repairing receding gums should come to see us at our Implant & Periodontics Solutions office. We are always available by phone too at 623-556-5442. Call the number for an appointment or a consultation today. |
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