Closing an Unattractive Gap between Your Two Front Teeth

When you think of a perfect smile, you might think of making your teeth look white, straight, and clean. However, that's not all there is to a perfect-looking smile. Your gums are just as important as your teeth. If your gums are too long, they can throw off the entire appearance of your smile, no matter how healthy and white your teeth are. Read on to learn what you can do about this problem.

Why Gums Look Long

Generally speaking, people are simply born with gums of a certain length. Although gum disease can cause gums to recede and become shortened, long gums aren't due to disease or damage to the mouth. Some people simply have a larger ratio of gums to teeth than others. In the past, there wasn't much you could do about it, except to see a dental surgeon to have the excess gum tissue removed. Unfortunately, this process was long, painful, and came with a high risk of infection. Nowadays, if you have this problem, you can look to gum resculpting instead.

What is Resculpting

Laser gum resculpting removes excessive gum tissue with a laser, rather than a scalpel. The advantage of this is that the laser simultaneously cuts away excessive tissue and cauterizes the remaining gum tissue. This means that your gum tissue is sealed shut, reducing bleeding and the risk of infection. It will also heal more quickly than if you had the old style of gum reshaping performed, and there's no need to place sutures or stitches in the gums afterwards.

How the Process Works

When you visit your dentist for laser gum resculpting, your first step will be to have a thorough cleaning and examination. Your gums will need to be in healthy condition to have this procedure done, so if you have gum disease or inflammation, your dentist will help you to reverse that first.

If everything is healthy, your dentist will begin by helping you decide how much of your gums you want removed. They may demonstrate what your smile will look like with a computer projection so you can decide exactly how much of your tooth you want to be exposed. Once you've made your decision, the laser resculpting can begin immediately.

The laser resculpting is performed with a high-powered laser. Your dentist will provide you with eye protection and inject a numbing agent into your gums to prevent discomfort. Then, they'll begin, carefully etching away the excess gum tissue off of your teeth. Once the procedure is complete, you'll be free to go.

Laser gum resculpting is one of the latest innovations in cosmetic dental care, and it can drastically improve the look of your smile. If you're self-conscious about the length and look of your gums, talk to a cosmetic dentistry company today, such as Greeley Dental Health.