If someone has a gum line that is not even or a gum line that sits very low below the lip, the beauty of their teeth can be diminished. Even a person with a perfect set of teeth can begin to feel uncomfortable about the way their smile looks.
The first thing that a person should not focus on when they look at a smile is the gum line. Thankfully, a cosmetic procedure referred to as gum contouring can fix this problem.
Advancements
In times past, the only option for fixing a gummy smile was to do gum contouring using a scalpel. This was a painful procedure that could result in excessive bleeding and a very uncomfortable and awkward recovery.
Now, thanks to advances in dental technology that use lasers, a diode laser can be used to scalp a patient’s gums perfectly in a simple and fast way.
How the Procedure Works
To start the gum contouring procedure, a patient’s mouth is going to be numbed using a local anesthetic. Then the orthodontist will expertly use a diode laser to remove unwanted gum tissue in a very gentle way.
This creates a uniform gum line. Since a diode laser cauterizes the gums when they cut, there is a lot less bleeding, as well as a drastically reduced chance for infection after the procedure.
Once the procedure is finished, a patient should expect to experience some discomfort in their gums for around one week. In the vast majority of cases, the procedure will not disturb a person’s ability to speak normally or eat and drink.
The dentist may recommend that in the days following the gum contouring procedure, a patient avoids eating spicy foods or food that have seeds.
A person may still brush and floss their teeth, but they should just be as gentle as they can be as they go about doing these things.
The best candidates for this procedure are individuals who are in good health and who are dissatisfied with the appearance of their gums.
The risk of experiencing complications once the procedure is done is very low and may include swelling or a mild reaction to the anesthesia.
Contact Us
Very few things affect the way a person looks as much as their smile. When a person has a healthy smile, they radiate happiness and attract others to them. A gum contouring procedure can help make that happen. Contact the office of Dr. Samuel F. Jirik, DDS today to make an appointment.