Cosmetic “gum lift” procedures
What is cosmetic gum surgery?
Your gum tissue is like a frame that provides form and shape to the top of your tooth. A less than attractive smile results when the integrity of the gum is compromised or the actual gum between your teeth becomes weak. Usually due to poor hygiene (gum disease), you actually begin to lose gum tissue. Cosmetic dentistry provides many cosmetic solutions such as composite resin bonding, crowns, and veneers to create a great smile. These solutions are usually part of an overall strategy which may involve cosmetic gum surgery. Used to correct a ‘gummy smile’ (a significant portion of your gum is exposed when you smile), cosmetic gum surgery is the procedure of lengthening your teeth from the neck of the tooth upwards. Your teeth then appear to be longer and much less gum is seen when you smile.
There are two primary procedures for cosmetic gum surgery, depending on your current smile.
“Gummy Smile” (Excessive Gingival Display)
A “Gummy Smile” can occur due to wear of teeth from teeth grinding, a short upper lip, or having a longer than usual upper jawbone. This smile is when your teeth appear too small and your gums appear too large.
“Long Tooth Smile” (Gum Recession)
As your gums recede, your teeth appear longer than normal. While “long teeth” may result in an unattractive smile, you should also be concerned with root sensitivity and possible tooth loss. Recent advances in techniques and materials have resulted in significant improvements in both comfort, predictability and esthetics.
To Correct a “Gummy Smile”
Cosmetic gum surgery can be done to reduce the excess gum and bone. The removal of these tissues allows for normal sized teeth and for a normal gum line appearance by using an instrument, usually a laser, to remove the undesirable tissue. Typically your cosmetic dentist will prescribe an antibacterial mouth rinse to be used twice a day for a two-week period following your surgery.
To Correct a “Long Tooth Smile”
As your gums recede, your teeth look much “longer” than normal. Such gum recession exposes your sensitive root surface which often makes hot or cold foods and drinks a painful experience. Teeth can become loose as your gum recedes. The cosmetic gum surgery solution is basically when a cosmetic dentist or periodontist removes tissue from the roof of your mouth and then grafts it onto your gum line. This tissue then reinforces thin gums or fills in areas where your gums have receded. Typically your cosmetic dentist will prescribe an antibacterial mouth rinse to be used twice a day for a two-week period following your surgery.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Cosmetic Gum Surgery
Advantages:
Healing is usually quick and your more youthful and beautiful smile is obvious early on. It has been reported that cosmetic gum surgery additionally improves the health of your gums. The procedure to correct receding gums may even reduce your tooth sensitivity to cold or hot foods or beverages while protecting your roots from decay and lessening further gum shrinkage.
Disadvantages:
Cosmetic gum surgery is of course, surgery. Surgery is often performed in segments under a local anesthetic – unless your entire mouth is undergoing this procedure at once, then a general anesthesia is typically used.
Before & After Photos: Cosmetic Gum Surgery
Gummy Smile Before
Long Tooth Smile Before
Gummy Smile After Long Tooth Smile After
Who is a candidate for cosmetic gum surgery?
You should consult your periodontist about cosmetic gum surgery if you believe you have “Gummy Smile” (small crown length), gum recession “long teeth”, an uneven gum line due to “short teeth”, gum loss or gums which appear to be collapsing (from missing teeth), dark or black areas between bridges, implants, crowns or teeth, or tooth sensitivity from receding gums.
Your comfort is our concern in our office!
Our goal is to provide all of our patients with a relaxed and comfortable setting for their periodontal care. Our experience has shown that when our patients are relaxed, they do much better during and after their periodontal treatment.
For this reason, we will tailor sedation methods to achieve an optimum comfort level for each patient.
Local Anesthesia
Because of our extraordinary gentle care most patients elect to be treated just with local anesthesia. We use very gentle injection techniques to achieve profound anesthesia. We will ensure that you are completely numbed before we commence any procedure.
Oral Sedation
In addition to local anesthesia, you may prefer to be lightly sedated for your procedure. Often we will prescribe oral sedatives to our patients, that are taken before the appointment. With this medication, most patients are relaxed sufficiently to fall asleep during the treatment.
Conscious IV Sedation
For the more difficult procedures, or for patients that experience significant anxiety during their dental visits we recommend IV conscious sedation. This procedure is performed by an experienced anesthesiologist who comes to our office. Medications specific for the patient’s needs are used during this procedure, to relax the patient through out the procedure. This type of sedation has a very safe track record and is a also a great option for patients on a busy schedule who wish to perform a number of procedures in one setting.
Pain Management
Pain management is a main focus of our practice. We perform a number of very specific procedures to ensure total comfort before, during, and after patient care.
These procedures include gentle and effective local anesthesia, gentle surgical techniques, micro-surgery and effective pain relievers dispensed after your care.
Most of our patients experience only minimal discomfort following their periodontal procedures.
Dental Implants
Our office is dedicated to providing the most advanced and successful treatment options available, in a professional setting. Dental implants are technique sensitive procedures that should only be entrusted to highly trained and sophisticated dental implant specialists. Do not gamble with your health.
Dental Implants: Replacement Tooth Roots
The dental implants used by most dentists and dental specialists are root-form implants, which basically means that they are replacement, or substitute tooth roots, used to replace natural tooth roots in areas of the mouth where teeth are missing.
The reason it is so important to replace the tooth root as well as the visible part of the tooth (crown) is that natural tooth roots, which are embedded in the bone basically hold the bone in place and tooth roots preserve the bone.
When teeth are missing, the bone that previously supported those teeth melts away, or deteriorates. This process is called bone resorption. The impact of deteriorating bone from complete tooth loss includes collapsed facial profiles, lost lip support, increased wrinkles around the mouth and the appearance of a pointed nose and chin that are too close together. 
Dental implants allow replacement of the entire missing tooth, which was never before possible. Implant supported replacement teeth look, feel and function like natural teeth.
However, the bone can be preserved by replacing missing tooth roots with dental implants. Since the bone actually forms a strong bond to the implants, they can serve the same functions as natural tooth roots: a strong foundation for biting and chewing, and stimulation for the bone to hold it in place.
What Are Some of the Benefits of Dental Implants?
Overall quality of life is enhanced with replacement teeth that look, feel and function like natural teeth. With implant supported replacement teeth, the appearance of the smile is more natural and the teeth function more like natural teeth. The result is increased comfort and confidence when smiling, speaking, and eating. If dentures and partials are replaced with implant supported teeth, the overall enhancement in quality of life is even more significant, with an ability to eat all types of foods, elimination of messy adhesives, and improved speech, comfort and appearance.
Your comfort is our concern in our office!
Our goal is to provide all of our patients with a relaxed and comfortable setting for their periodontal care. Our experience has shown that when our patients are relaxed, they do much better during and after their periodontal treatment.
For this reason, we will tailor sedation methods to achieve an optimum comfort level for each patient.
Local Anesthesia
Because of our extraordinary gentle care most patients elect to be treated just with local anesthesia. We use very gentle injection techniques to achieve profound anesthesia. We will ensure that you are completely numbed before we commence any procedure.
Oral Sedation
In addition to local anesthesia, you may prefer to be lightly sedated for your procedure. Often we will prescribe oral sedatives to our patients, that are taken before the appointment. With this medication, most patients are relaxed sufficiently to fall asleep during the treatment.
Conscious IV Sedation
For the more difficult procedures, or for patients that experience significant anxiety during their dental visits we recommend IV conscious sedation. This procedure is performed by an experienced anesthesiologist who comes to our office. Medications specific for the patient’s needs are used during this procedure, to relax the patient through out the procedure. This type of sedation has a very safe track record and is a also a great option for patients on a busy schedule who wish to perform a number of procedures in one setting.
Pain Management
Pain management is a main focus of our practice. We perform a number of very specific procedures to ensure total comfort before, during, and after patient care.
These procedures include gentle and effective local anesthesia, gentle surgical techniques, micro-surgery and effective pain relievers dispensed after your care.
Most of our patients experience only minimal discomfort following their periodontal procedures.