Cosmetic

The gums are the frame for your smile. The appearance of the gum tissues can have a great impact on the appearance of your smile. If there is too much or too little gum tissue it will distract from your appearance. These are some cases where we are able to improve the patient’s smile by altering the gum tissues. Creating the ideal smile often begins with establishing the ideal soft tissue form. If you have any questions or would like to know if we can help you improve your smile, we would be happy to discuss your options with you. we will work closely with your dentist to help you achieve your goals for your smile.

Esthetic Crown Lengthening

Esthetic Crown Lengthening was used to help this patient correct a gummy smile. She had a high smile line and what appeared to be very short teeth. The teeth were actually of normal size, but the gum tissue was hiding most of the tooth. By repositioning the gum tissue the entire tooth was exposed, creating a pleasing smile where the teeth are noticed, not the gums.

Esthetic Crown Lengthening was used to balance the smile. The teeth on the right appear longer than the teeth on the left. By exposing more of the tooth enamel on the right, symmetry between the right and left was established, greatly improving the appearance of the smile.

Connective Tissue Graft

A connective tissue graft was used here to cover the exposed root on the eye tooth. By replacing the gum lost to recession, a normal appearing smile was reestablished. This eliminates the “long in the tooth” appearance, resulting in a more youthful smile. For more information, see Soft Tissue Grafts on the American Academy of Periodontology web site.

Treating Infection

Treating infection can also improve the appearance of the smile. The inflamed tissues between the front teeth were very evident whenever this patient smiled. By controlling the infection and reducing the gum inflamation, her smile was greatly improved.