How a Cosmetic Dentist Can Change the Appearance of Your Gums

As a cosmetic dentist, the vast majority of our practice is focused on the aesthetics of teeth and making them look great. We are passionate about making sure that you have the best smile possible and can smile with straight, white, beautiful teeth. This is not to say that a cosmetic dentist is not also concerned with the health and hygiene of your teeth. In fact, we know that the better your health and hygiene are the better looking your teeth can be.

There are several procedures that we specialize in to make your teeth look better. Most people are very familiar with the bulk of what we do, including teeth whitening, contouring and reshaping of teeth, resizing of teeth, the use of dental veneers, replacing teeth that have been lost with dental crowns or dental implants, and orthodontics to straighten wayward teeth to name a few. We perform these procedures every single day. There are also some other procedures, which are not as well known but are equally important to making your gums and teeth look exceptional. The two procedures we have described below find their origins, as a procedure, in the medical side of dentistry but also have application in improving the appearance of gums and so have been adopted by our practice.

As a cosmetic dentist, we can perform a procedure known as a gingivectomy, which is most commonly done if you have damage to your gums from periodontitis. The reason a gingivectomy is typically done is because the gums have pulled away from the teeth which creates deep pockets. From a dental perspective, these deep pockets are an ideal breeding ground for plaque since they are hard to clean. If we suspect that there is a potential for the plaque to damage the bone that supports your teeth, we may suggest having a gingivectomy. The procedure is also used to tighten up the gums when they have become loose and unsightly. Hence, this procedure is often performed by a cosmetic dentist. A relatively simple process, the gums are first numbed with a local anesthetic, then we will use a laser or scalpel to remove the excess or loose gum tissue. Once the loose tissue has been removed, we may place putty over the gum line which will protect the exposed tissue until it has had a chance to heal completely. We will also work to make sure that the contour of your gums, which frequently changes during this surgery, is aesthetically pleasing.

Another procedure that we do as a cosmetic dentist is known as gum reshaping. As you can see from the process above, the gums can come under serious attack from gum disease. When you have gum recession, for example, your gums pull back making your teeth look too big. In a case like this we can lengthen the gums so that they provide the proper coverage to the teeth. Done in the clinic under general anesthesia, tissue sculpting or gum reshaping, takes a few hours to complete. These are only two of the ways that we can improve the health and appearance of your gums at the same time.