If your cosmetic smile issues aren’t toothy, but gummy, you may wonder what you can do about them. Perhaps your gums crowd out your teeth to shorten your smile, or gum disease has left your teeth looking strange and strangled in places. Gum contouring will help out with your cosmetic needs, and in certain cases can even benefit your oral health. Your dentist and gum health specialist, periodontist, will work together for this process that revitalizes your healthy looking teeth.

Gum Contouring for a Short Smile

When your teeth are crowded out by your gum line, gum contouring can make a great cosmetic fix for your smile. Your periodontist will use a diode laser to remove the extra tissue hiding those precious pearlies. The diode laser has advantages over a more traditional method of contouring because it cauterizes as it goes, and comes into less contact with your tissues.

Gum Contouring for an Uneven Gum Line

If your teeth are short in places but over-exposed in others, gum contouring may still be an excellent solution for you. In addition to the diode laser approach, your periodontist can also use tissue from your palate to cover receding gums. A combination of the two procedures may work for you, if you have a highly uneven smile.

Gum Contouring for Gum Disease

If you suffer from gum disease, chances are you have gum inflammation and receding gums, too. This can make for an embarrassing smile, but also a danger to your oral health. Patching up your gums with gum contouring for this situation can benefit not only the beauty of your smile, but also the health of your mouth. The gums you add back will go on to protect your teeth from tartar, as long as you make sure to maintain proper preventive dental health once you get them fixed.