You've probably heard of a toothy smile, but what about a gummy smile? If your gums are overly pronounced when you smile, you might wish that your teeth to gum ratio was different, and that more of your teeth surface area was visible. Any changes that you decide to make to your smile will be considered to be cosmetic, and are not a medical necessity. Your teeth will continue to function regardless of how much gum tissue is evident when you smile. Having said that, you might wish that your teeth were somewhat more prominent when you smile. A dental clinic can certainly give your smile a teeth to gum ratio that is more to your liking. But what does this involve?
The Examination
A minor periodontal surgical procedure is generally required. Your dentist will first need to determine whether you're a candidate for this adjustment surgery. An x-ray will be taken to identify the actual length of your teeth, from the visible crown down to the roots, which are buried in your gums. This allows your dentist to work out how much gum tissue can be safely removed. Your dentist does not want there to be any chance that your roots will be exposed. This can be painful and will destabilise your teeth, making them more susceptible to infection. In extreme cases, your teeth might simply be too short for this type of periodontal surgery, but it should be stressed that this is rare, as only a fraction of your visible gum tissue will be removed.
The Procedure
The procedure itself is generally performed with a laser that actually burns the gum tissue away. This might sound gruesome, but the heat involved will minimise discomfort, and will result in a quicker healing time than conventional surgery. This is because the laser immediately cauterizes your gum tissue, keeping bleeding to an absolute minimum. Your dentist will simply use the laser to reshape your gum line. Of course your teeth will not grow any larger, and the procedure simply exposes an extra section of each tooth's surface.
After the Procedure
Your dentist will want to schedule an appointment with you after the surgery has been performed. They will need to check that the area in question is healing properly. Once your gums are back to normal, you might also wish to undergo teeth whitening. This is because the portions of your teeth that were previously hidden under your gums might be a different shade than the rest of your teeth. This differs from person to person, so it might not be necessary. Please speak with your dentist before you undergo any teeth whitening, as they might suggest additional healing time before this procedure takes place.
So while a gummy smile might be something that bothers you, it's a relatively straightforward procedure to have it changed.
Share13 July 2016
Hi! My name is Sarah, and as a busy professional, I understand the importance of making the most of my time. That includes everything from having productive working lunches to making the most of my dental checkups. I have created this blog to help you maximise your dental checkups. In these posts, you can learn how to prepare for your checkup, which questions to ask during your checkup and more. I am also going to have posts explaining why checkups are critical to your dental health as well as the health of your entire body. Happy reading, and thanks for visiting my blog!
