If your gums are too high or too low it may be affecting the appearance of your smile. Gum contouring, or gingival sculpting, is a cosmetic procedure that can correct the appearance of the gum line. At Oxford Family Dental in Port Coquitlam, Dr. Gurinder Chahal offers gum contouring treatments for patients who wish to correct their gum line.
Gum Contouring is a minor procedure that takes place in-office and lasts approximately one hour. Prior to the procedure, you will have a consultation with Dr. Gurinder Chahal that outlines where the sculpting will take place along the gumline.
This procedure is completed with dental laser technology that makes the risk of complication very low, as well as your recovery time. A local anesthetic will be applied to your gumline and teeth before the gum line is lasered. Recovery typically takes a couple of days; you might experience slight swelling and tenderness which can be managed with an over-the-counter pain reliever.
Are you a candidate for gum contouring? You might be if…
You have a “gummy smile”
A gummy smile occurs when the appearance of gum tissues overpowers a person’s smile. A person with a gummy smile might feel that their gums are too prominent and not enough of their teeth show when they smile. This may because a person has too much gum tissue so his or her teeth appear to be quite small. A lot of people are not aware that there are options for correcting or altering an excessively gummy smile. If a gummy smile is bothersome or impacts your self-esteem, Oxford Family Dental has gum contouring treatments that can correct it.
You have an asymmetrical smile
An asymmetrical smile may be caused by an uneven gumline. If the gum tissue around some teeth is high and low in other areas, your teeth may appear asymmetrical when you smile. As with an overly gummy smile, an asymmetrical smile may be corrected by gum contouring. This procedure is able to remove extra gum tissue, and only exposes a part of a tooth that is normally visible anyways. It can be utilized to even out a gum line and make a person’s crooked smile more symmetrical.
You have a receding gum line
Some people undergo gum contouring to treat a receding gum line due to periodontal disease. Gum recession occurs when the gum surrounding the top recedes down towards the root. This exposes the root dentine and can cause sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks. Gum contouring is also a part of other necessary periodontal procedures, such as crown lengthening, pocket reduction, and regenerative procedures.
To learn more about gum contouring or to find out if it is the right procedure for you, contact Oxford Family Dental in Port Coquitlam, to book a consultation. Call (604) 942-1006!
