What is Gum Contouring?
Gum contouring is a treatment used to reshape the gum line and modify excess gum tissue. This cosmetic procedure is used by dental professionals to treat uneven gum lines or adjust the appearance of smiles that are disproportionately gummy. In some cases, people have excessive gum tissue that makes their teeth appear unusually short or small; this is commonly referred to as a gummy smile, and the preferred treatment for a gummy smile is gum contouring. In other cases, patients may have gums that are uneven, making the smile appear asymmetrical, or they may have gums that have become uneven or overgrown following orthodontic treatment. In all cases, gum contouring does just what it sounds like: reshapes the gums so they’re more even and symmetrical, improving the balanced appearance of the smile.
What Steps Are Involved in a Gum Contouring Treatment?
Like most dental treatments, gum contouring treatment begins with a consultation with a professional – in this case, a dentist or a periodontist. This consultation focuses on the patient’s cosmetic goals and includes planning that aims to strike a balance between what the patient likes and what the patient wants to change about their gum line. The consultation will also involve a dental exam, to ensure that the patient has good oral health before beginning a cosmetic procedure. During this exam, the dentist will evaluate the ratio between the gums and the teeth, measuring to achieve symmetry while assessing the position and shape of the lips, teeth, and facial bones. They will also assess the bone levels that surround each tooth to determine whether any small amounts of bone should be removed during the process, a step that can help keep the gums from returning to their original alignment after the procedure.
Once a treatment plan has been designed, you’ll schedule your gum contouring surgery. Surgery begins with local anesthesia, which keeps the gums numb and prevents pain during surgery. Some dental professionals may also offer sedation dentistry, which can help patients with dental anxiety stay relaxed and comfortable during their surgery. Patients who opt for sedation dentistry should discuss this with their dentist beforehand, as pre- and post-care instructions differ significantly depending on the type of anesthesia that is chosen. Once the anesthesia has started working, the dental specialist will mark the gums, indicating the new location of the recontoured gum line. Then, they will use a surgical tool – either a scalpel or laser – to remove excess gum tissue. If needed, they will also remove tiny amounts of bone in certain areas, before reshaping the rest of the gum tissue and suturing the tissue into place to staunch bleeding, if needed. The entire gum contouring surgery usually takes a couple of hours, maximum, though this depends on the number of teeth being treated and the type of anesthesia used.
Following gum contouring surgery, it takes a few hours for anesthesia to wear off, and it’s normal to feel some soreness in the area as this happens. Over-the-counter pain medications can help ease this discomfort. If you have chosen sedation anesthesia, you’ll want to take the rest of the day off from any activity; for local anesthesia, patients can resume mild activity shortly after the procedure. Your dentist will provide you with detailed aftercare instructions that will help you heal efficiently and manage any pain or post-surgery side effects, and you should be able to return to normal activity after about a week. This varies from patient to patient, and your dentist is the best resource for learning what gum contouring and recovery will look like for you.