A beautiful smile needs healthy-looking teeth, but it’s also a matter of balance and proportion. If you have too much gum tissue showing when you smile, you might wish your teeth were bigger or your gums less “gummy.” Fortunately, cosmetic dentistry has a solution for an overabundance of gum tissue: gum contouring.

Do you feel like your smile shows too much gum tissue and not enough tooth? Visit Dr. Daniel Dufera and his staff at Silver Spring Smiles and we’ll discuss your candidacy for gum contouring. Call us at 301-588-5400 to schedule a consultation.

What Causes a Gummy Smile?

There are several possible causes for a gummy smile. In some cases, teeth may seem too small because they did not erupt properly during a person’s youth. Other patients may simply have a high lip line or a very small upper lip that fails to properly cover the gums when smiling. In some cases, a gummy smile is the result of your genetic background. Even if both of your parents had well-proportioned smiles, differences in the size and positioning of the parents’ teeth and gums can result in a hereditary mismatch of features. There is a wide range for what is considered attractive in this world, but what matters the most is how you see yourself. If you are not happy with your smile, gum contouring gives you a safe way to alter the appearance of your teeth and gums so you can smile with confidence.

How Does Gum Contouring Work?

Though it is considered a surgical procedure, gum contouring treatments are completed chairside in our regular offices at Silver Spring Smiles. Dr. Dufera starts by carefully cleaning the area and administering a local anesthetic injection to ensure you will feel no unpleasant sensations during the treatment. After you have been successfully numbed, Dr. Dufera will begin to reshape your gumline with a laser cutting tool. Soft tissue lasers are an ideal tool for gum reshaping, as they create a smaller, more precise cut than a scalpel. This tool immediately cauterizes the gingival tissue resulting in less bleeding and faster healing times. After the procedure, you may experience some minor swelling, discomfort, or tooth sensitivity, but these side effects should dissipate as your gums heal.

Is Gum Contouring Safe?

While it’s true that receding gum tissue can be a significant oral health concern, that doesn’t mean that removing gum tissue is necessarily dangerous. The amount of various tissues present in the human body can vary significantly from one person to another. When it comes to the gingival tissues (gums), patients who seek out gum contouring often fall into the category of those who have tissue to spare. Furthermore, the amount of gum tissue removed during a gum contouring treatment is usually very minimal. Only small amounts of the gingiva are removed at strategic points to create a subtle aesthetic shift in a smile’s appearance.

At Silver Spring Smiles, we want all our patients to have healthy teeth and gums that look their best. We would never recommend a treatment that might compromise your oral health, either now or in the future. If you are interested in gum contouring, the first step is an oral exam to determine whether your oral anatomy has adequate tissue to support the small amount of gumline reshaping needed to achieve a beneficial result.

Visit Our Silver Spring, MD Dental Office to Learn More

Contact us today if you’ve ever wished you could change your gummy smile. Dr. Dufera will assess your oral health and determine whether you are a good candidate for gum contouring treatments at Silver Spring Smiles. Call us today at 301-588-5400.