What is Gum Contouring?

Are you hiding your smile because you are embarrassed about too much, too little, or an uneven portion of gums showing? Restore your confidence and a great smile with the help of dental services in Calgary’s NE. Gum contouring is a cosmetic dental procedure to reshape and resculpt your gumline. It can be done purely for aesthetic purposes or as part of an oral health treatment option.

Reasons for Gum Contouring

There is an array of aesthetic and medical reasons for gum contouring. Whatever the reason, we, at Savanna Market Dental, have the tools and knowledge to help you.

• Gummy Smile – Do you have excessive gum tissue showing when you smile? In this instance, teeth can appear shorter than they are. A cutting back of some of the gums can reveal a more natural smile, showing more of a tooth’s crown.

• Receding Gums – Perhaps you have periodontal disease or a side effect from a disease and medication which causes your gums to deteriorate. This leads to the appearance of longer teeth since the root starts to show. It can also lead to sensitivity and pain because there is no protective barrier. Your gums may be able to be reshaped to help with coverage. This involves grafting tissue from another part of your mouth and putting it where your root is showing.

• Uneven Gumline – Do you have some shorter and some longer-looking teeth due to an uneven gumline? This can be corrected with the cutting back and reshaping of your gums.

• Post Orthodontic Treatment – Your gums may have shifted after having braces or another form of orthodontic treatment. Gum contouring can provide an adjustment that gives you aligned gums.

• Crown or Filling – If you need a crown or filling but there is too much gum showing then some may have to be cut back for the dental treatment to work.
  
  

What Happens During Gum Contouring?

This type of treatment is done at your dentist in NE Calgary in one session, usually within one to two hours. The time for the procedure depends on how much of your gums need altering.

• Step 1: A local anesthetic is used to numb the area.

• Step 2: A soft tissue laser or scalpel is used to eliminate additional gumline. Sutures might be used to hold the gums in position. If you need added gums, then, tissue is grafted from your palate to secure around the receding tooth or teeth.

• Step 3: The results will be evaluated by your dentist in NE Calgary. This ensures everything looks as it should, and no further work is required.
  
  

Mild discomfort and swelling are common after this type of dental procedure, but typically only lasts for a few days.