Gum contouring
For an uneven gum line, teeth that look short, or gum grown over a tooth.
Gum contouring reshapes the gum line, either by removing gum that covers too much of a tooth or by evening out an edge that sits higher on one tooth than the next. It is done for appearance, and also to uncover enough tooth for a filling or crown to hold onto.
Any of these sound familiar?
- A lot of gum shows above your front teeth, so the teeth look short and square.
- The gum sits noticeably higher on one tooth than on the one beside it.
- Gum has thickened or grown over your teeth since you started a new medication.
- Decay or a break runs under the gum, leaving nothing for a crown to grip.
- Your braces came off and the teeth are straight but the gum line still looks uneven.
Start to finish.
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01
Look and measure
Dr. Malik checks how much gum covers each tooth, how thick that gum is, and where the bone sits underneath it. The bone decides whether gum alone can be trimmed or whether bone has to be reshaped with it.
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02
Find the cause
Gum that has grown over teeth is often a reaction to a medication, or a sign of gum disease underneath. We settle the inflammation first and check the medication with your physician before reshaping anything.
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03
Mark the new line
We draw the new edge on the teeth and show it to you in a mirror before starting. Nothing comes off until you have seen the shape and agreed to it.
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04
Reshaping
With the area numbed, the extra gum is removed and the edge is shaped to the line you agreed. A few teeth take one visit, and we stop if you need a break.
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05
Healing
The gum is tender for a few days and looks close to final within a couple of weeks. Warm salt-water rinses and soft food help while it settles.
What it costs, and who pays.
Gum contouring is usually one visit, with a few weeks of healing before any crown or veneer work goes on top of it. Plans generally treat reshaping done for appearance as cosmetic and pay nothing towards it, while the same surgery done so a crown can be fitted is often covered in part.
Ask for a written estimateGum contouring, answered.
Does gum contouring hurt?
The gum is frozen before anything is reshaped, and you see the new line in a mirror before you leave. Afterwards it feels like a scrape for two or three days, and ordinary pain relief usually covers it.
Will the gum grow back?
Gum reshaped for appearance usually stays where it is put. Gum that overgrew because of plaque or a medication can come back, which is why we treat the cause and watch it at your cleanings.
Can a gummy smile be fixed without surgery?
Sometimes. If the teeth look short because they are worn or covered, veneers or braces may be the better answer, and Dr. Malik says so if that is the case. Gum that simply sits too low is a surgical fix.
How long before I see the final shape?
The line looks close straight away, but the gum keeps settling for about four to six weeks. Any veneers or crowns wait until then so they meet the finished gum line.
