People who receive gum contouring love their results.

Are you in love with your smile, or do you feel afraid to smile too big? If you feel like your teeth are too small and too much of your gums show when you smile, you might be a candidate for this simple yet amazing procedure that involves reshaping your gumline to show more of the teeth you have.

If you think you have small teeth, that may not be the case. You might actually just have a lot of gum tissue covering your big, beautiful teeth. You deserve to have a smile that you love and that you’re confident in! 

If you haven’t heard of this transforming but minimally invasive procedure, also known as gingivoplasty, it’s time you have. So let’s dive into it.

Gum contouring can change your gummy smile.

If you feel like a disproportionate amount of your gums show when you smile, there are a few reasons this could be the case. Sometimes the gums are covering up a larger portion of the teeth than necessary, and this is a very common cause. Other times it comes down to the anatomy of the jaw and lips. 

Ask yourself this: Does my gummy smile impact areas of my life, such as my self-confidence or smile in photos? Would I have more confidence and smile more if my teeth were bigger? If that describes you, there might be an easy fix! Gum reduction can expose more of your beautiful, white teeth. This procedure is generally cosmetic, but it might be medically necessary in some circumstances.

Benefits of Gum Contouring

By now you’re excited about the aesthetic and cosmetic benefits to gum reduction, but there’s more. How might gum contouring improve your dental health?

Removes Diseased Tissue

If you have excess gum tissue, it becomes a nice little spot for bits of food to hide and can cause you to develop irritation and inflammation in your gums. Gingivitis and periodontitis (early and advanced gum disease, respectively) can lead to a host of other dental problems including cavities and tooth loss, so they’re not things to play around with. If recommended by your dentist, a gingivectomy (removal of diseased gum tissue) can help reduce your risk of gum disease progressing further.

Corrects Receding Gums 

Patients dealing with gum recession may find that their teeth appear discolored and elongated. Gum grafting can help. A tissue graft can correct receding gums and help with issues like tooth sensitivity to create a beautiful, balanced smile. 

Increases Visible Tooth Structure

If you are having cosmetic work done on your small teeth, your dentist may recommend crown lengthening before getting crowns or veneers. This ensures that there will be adequate tooth structure to prepare for the final restoration.

So what is involved in gum contouring?

Your dentist will use a combination of special instruments and lasers to gently remove the gum tissue and create a new, perfected gumline. Before treatment begins, your dental team will take photos of your teeth and gums, and you and your dentist will work together to design and shape your new gumline. Then they will use local anesthetic to numb the area, and treatment itself generally takes one to two hours. 

Recovery

The area heals up fairly quickly afterward. There isn’t any downtime after the procedure, and you should be able to return to your normal activities right away. After the anesthetic wears off, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen for any temporary discomfort. Either way, you should brush gently and eat soft foods for the first couple days. 

There should be minimal discomfort during the healing process, so contact your dentist if you have any concerns, such as excessive swelling. When everything is healed, you will have a beautiful, perfect smile. 

Consider Gum Contouring at Luminous Smiles.

If this whole idea is a new concept to you and you are interested in how this can change your smile’s aesthetic, simply ask Dr. Desai if you are a candidate for gum contouring. Gum reduction can give you the attractive smile and confidence you deserve. As the only female American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry-accredited dentist in Newport Beach, Dr. Desai will be sure you are smiling bigger and brighter than ever before in no time. To book an appointment with Luminous Smiles, click here.