What is Gum Contouring?

While we often think about going to the dentist for problems with our teeth, your gums fall under their care as well. At East Hills Dental Associates, we have dentists experienced in cosmetic dentistry in Long Island, NY. Learn how they can utilize gum contouring for both cosmetic and restorative purposes.

What is Gum Contouring?

Gum contouring is another phrase for gum reshaping. Using the most advanced techniques, such as the pinhole gum lift procedure, we can reshape your gums so that they’re ideal for your mouth. This can be for both cosmetic issues, like a gummy smile, or for more serious issues, like receding gums due to decay and disease. 

Treating a Gummy Smile

A gummy smile occurs when your gums are so prominent in your smile that your teeth look short. Your teeth look smaller and you may feel that the gums are overwhelming in your mouth. Using a process called gum lifting or crown lengthening, we can make sure more of the teeth are showing in your smile.

Usually, this procedure can be completed in one visit. We’ll analyze your smile and talk to you about how you want your new smile to look. That way, we know how high we want to lift the gums to give you your ideal smile. 

With both cosmetic and restorative procedures, Dr. Sousa will see how healthy your gums are. Digital photos will be taken to do a computerized smile analysis. On the computer, the dentist can tweak the images to get a preview of how your finished smile could look. As an extra precaution, the procedure is then done on a model of your teeth. We want to make sure that what’s in the digital images is something that can definitely be recreated with your smile

Once we’re sure that we have a pleasing, practical result, we’ll create a treatment plan that’s personalized for every specific patient. Measurements are taken of your mouth to ensure that everything goes smoothly and predictably.

Treating Receding Gums

If your gums are receding due to gum disease, it can lead to health problems down the road. Receding gums can expose the nerves of your teeth. This can make you sensitive to certain foods, and also increases the likelihood of your teeth being impacted by tooth decay

The pinhole gum procedure is the most minimally invasive option to treat receding gums. Tiny holes are created in the gum tissue. With special tools, the gum tissue is loosened and slowly guided over the parts of the teeth that shouldn’t be exposed by the gums. You’ll see results almost instantly

Since you don’t have actual cuts or sutures, the healing process should be pretty fast. We’ll schedule a follow-up appointment for two weeks after the procedure so we can monitor your progress. You’ll have to limit yourself to soft foods for a few days, as well as take over the counter pain medications and use antibiotic rinses to avoid infections.

Long Island, New York Cosmetic Dentistry

If you want to fix your gummy smile or receding gum line, call us today or schedule an appointment online!