If you’ve been thinking about gum reshaping, otherwise known as contouring, you may not be alone in this. Sometimes, people have issues with their gums, and it impacts the way that they look at their teeth. Some people may want to choose to get gum reshaping. Here, we’ll discuss what it is.
What gum reshaping Is
Gum reshaping, or gum contouring, is basically changing your gum shape to make it look better. For uneven gums, or those that cover too little or even too much of the teeth that you have, you may want to get this. it’s not considered a medical necessity, but instead is used to make the gums and the teeth look better too. Usually, the person who does this is a periodontist, or a dentist that specializes in cosmetic dentistry, as this usually depends on the state of your mouth and how it looks.
Gum Contouring for Gummy Smiles
A gummy smile, which is where you have too much gum and too little teeth, usually involves the professional using a scalpel or a laser to get rid of the tissue that’s in excess. They then will make a gum line that's new to show off more of your teeth. This usually takes a couple of hours. Usually, a local anesthetic is used, but you’ll feel some tenderness, and may be in pain due to the soreness after the procedure.
Too Little Gums
You can also get this for too little of gums, this is known in circles as gum recession. The teeth might look discolored, or elongated. This usually also exposes your teeth roots to the bacteria that’s harmful, along with plaque, and it can lead to decay, and even loss of bone and teeth. Gum recession may happen on a couple of the teeth, or it might impact your entire mouth.
This happens due to the following:
You brush your teeth too much
Gum disease
Genetics
Usually, for those who have periodontitis, they get the treatment before they get the gum reshaping. Then, once you’ve cleared up the infection, they then do the procedure, which usually involves taking the tissue from one area of your mouth, and literally grafting this to the area that’s receded, shaping the gumline to look bigger, and also lengthening this as well.
Recovery
If you’re looking to get this done, expect to feel pain for a couple of days, depending on the state of your mouth. The healing can take up to a few weeks. You do need to eat foods that are softer, and then, talk to the dentist about the care for this. if you notice infection, or more swelling and pain, see the dentist immediately.
How to Know if it’s Right for you
There are a few things that you should think about before you decide to get this.
First, is your oral health. Do you have tooth decay or gum disease? You may get more out of actually restoring those teeth before you get cosmetic dentistry
There is also the cost that’s involved. This can cost up to $500 a tooth, depending on the work. Plus, due to the fact that it is usually for cosmetics, the insurance might not offer coverage for this.
Finally, your cosmetic needs. It just makes the teeth appear bigger or smaller. It will not change the color, shape, or where the tooth is. That’ll require further procedures to fix this.
Talk to the dentist before you get this, and they can tell you whether it’s right for you, or if you need something else.
