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Can Cosmetic Gum Surgery Benefit My Smile?

Healthy gums can benefit your smile the same way healthy teeth do. For a smile to look radiant, you sure do need healthy teeth. But your gums also play a huge role. Your teeth need a frame of robust gum tissue to add to their shine.

But just as your teeth can have aesthetic problems, your gums can also create a cosmetic issue. If you feel the appearance of your gumline is taking away from your smile, our dentist can help with cosmetic gum surgery. 

What Is Cosmetic Gum Surgery?

Cosmetic gum surgery is a dental procedure that re-sculpts or reshapes your gumline. Patients often seek the surgery for aesthetic reasons, but there are instances when it may be a health requirement. 

For instance, your dentist may recommend cosmetic gum surgery if you have a gum problem affecting your dental health.

What Problems Can Cosmetic Gum Surgery Fix?

Cosmetic gum surgery can fix both cosmetic and medical dental issues. Cosmetic issues include:

• Excess gum tissue - Where the gum tissue covers more of your tooth surface than normal. It results in a gummy smile where your teeth look small compared to overstretched gums.

• Uneven or irregular gumline - Where the gum tissue is too low in some teeth and too high in others.

• Receding gums - Where the gumline shrinks back, exposing more of your tooth surface or enamel. It creates a smile where teeth look unusually long, displaying less gum tissue.

• Cosmetic gum surgery is medically essential if you have gum diseases such as periodontitis and gingivitis.

What to Expect

A periodontist performs the gum surgery as an in-office treatment and completes it in one visit. The procedure requires local anesthesia to numb the treatment area, administered before the dentist starts.
 

During the surgery, the dentist will remove extra gum tissue and re-mold the gums to reveal more of your teeth. The dentist may use sutures to seal the gum tissue and hold it in place.
 

If you have receding gums and the surgery involves increasing gum tissue, your dentist will get the tissue from your palate or another area of your mouth. Then, the dentist will place the tissue around your teeth to extend and restore your gumline.

Is Cosmetic Gum Surgery Right for You?

Cosmetic gum surgery is a simple way to improve your smile. But talk to your dentist before deciding to have the surgery. Your dentist can evaluate your dental health and determine whether cosmetic gum surgery is appropriate for you. 

Generally, you may be a good candidate for cosmetic gum surgery if:

• You have healthy teeth and gums. If you have tooth decay or gum disease, your dentist will first work to restore your dental health before going ahead with the procedure.

• Aesthetic needs. The surgery addresses issues that affect your gumline. It cannot change your teeth's color, shape, or position. That would require other dental treatments.

If you are not a good candidate for cosmetic gum surgery, your periodontist will recommend alternative treatments for improving your smile.

For more on cosmetic gum surgery and how it can benefit your smile, visit Palm Beach Center for Periodontics and Implant Dentistry, P.A., at our office in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Call (561) 621-3111 to book an appointment today.