The Dental Blog

Periodontal Cosmetic Procedures to Enhance Your Smile

With cosmetic periodontal treatments, you may be able to improve the smile that Mother Nature gave you!

Gummy Smile or Uneven Gumline

If you feel that your teeth are too short and your smile is too “gummy” or that your gumline is uneven, covering too much of some teeth, while leaving others the right length, a simple cosmetic treatment might be just right for you.

Your teeth probably are not “too short” at all. In fact, they are just the right length. You simply have too much gum tissue covering your teeth and hiding your smile.

Crown lengthening procedures remove the excess gum tissue to expose more of the “crown” of the tooth. Your gumline is then sculpted to give your new smile just the right look. If restorations are necessary, this procedure sets the stage, allowing your new veneers or crowns to have the correct length and shape, giving you a beautiful new smile.

Long Teeth / Exposed Roots

If one or more of your teeth are too long, exposing the unattractive tooth root, there are special periodontal procedures that can cover those roots.

Tooth roots can become exposed as gums recede and can make you look older than you are. This recession can happen as a result of a variety of causes, including periodontal disease. Whatever the reason, exposed roots are unappealing and can leave you at risk for developing cavities on your tooth root.

Soft tissue grafts and other root coverage procedures are designed to cover exposed roots, to reduce further gum recession and to protect your vulnerable roots from decay.

Missing Teeth

If one or more of your teeth are missing, causing unappealing gaps in your smile, dental implants might be the answer for you.

Dental implants are replacement teeth that feel and look just like your own. An artificial tooth root is placed into your jaw, and after a healing period, an artificial tooth is attached to the root.

While high-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more tooth-saving than traditional bridgework, since neighboring teeth do not have to be ground down to support the implant. Dental implants are so natural-looking and feeling, you’ll forget you ever lost a tooth.

Talk with your periodontist about dental implants to find out if you are a good candidate for this procedure.

Indentions in the Gums and Jawbone

Sometimes when you lose one or more teeth, you can get an indentation in your gums and jawbone where the tooth used to be. This happens because the jawbone recedes when it no longer is holding a tooth in place.

Not only is this indentation unnatural looking, it also causes the replacement tooth to look too long compared to the adjacent teeth.

Fortunately, your periodontist can fill in this “defect” with a procedure called ridge augmentation, recapturing the natural contour of your gums and jaw. A new tooth can then be created that is natural-looking, easy to clean and beautiful.

Talk With Your Periodontist or Your Dentist!

If you are interested in having the best smile for you, talk with your periodontist or dentist. Together you can talk about your gumline, the amount of tooth you would like to show in your smile and other esthetic concerns you might have. He or she can evaluate your current smile and provide a range of treatments available to help achieve the look you want. You may be a candidate for just one type of procedure, or a combination of procedures might be recommended. Your periodontist will describe the treatments to you and explain how your smile will be altered to achieve the look you want. With the variety of cosmetic periodontal treatments available today, you can have the smile you’ve always dreamed of. Don’t put it off. Talk with your periodontist today.

Before and After Treatment of Gum Recession