Tissue Recontouring

When you smile or talk, your teeth are framed by your lips and the visible gum tissue. People looking at you notice your teeth. People notice missing teeth, tooth alignment, gum color, discolored fillings, tooth color, and how much of your teeth actually show. If everything is integrated well and looks natural, people say you have a nice smile! If something does not look natural, it may be easy to define such as crooked, stained, or yellow teeth; periodontal disease shown by red-colored gum tissue; or discolored fillings. Something does not look quite right.

That "something" may be related to the teeth and gum architecture. The position of the gums where they meet the teeth is esthetically important. If teeth look too short, there may be more gum tissue covering them that is considered attractive. You may show too much gum tissue when you smile. There may be a difference in the height of the gum of one tooth versus another tooth. This could be caused by recession from brushing too hard, gum disease, or just an issue with the way the tooth erupted into place. All of these things can take away from your appearance.

There are several, simple periodontal procedures that can correct most of these routine problems. Some involve removal of unwanted tissue while others involve grafting of tissue. Orthodontics might be helpful in some situations. The most extensive procedures will require referral to a specialist.

One type of cosmetic periodontal plastic surgery, involves the gum tissue being reshaped and re-contoured without the use of stitches. This procedure is done in a dental office. One or multiple teeth can benefit from treatment. Post-operative discomfort is usually minimal. However, if tissue is removed then there may be sensitivity.  The improvement generated by this kind of procedure can be startling!