Periodontists are often considered the plastic surgeons of dentistry. If you are looking to improve your smile, a periodontist may be able to help.
A “gummy smile” can be caused by multiple reasons. One of the most common reasons is what is called altered passive eruption, a process by which the gum tissue does not fully retract from the teeth during normal growth and development. Below are is a video describing some of the reasons why a gummy smile may occur.
Typically the gum tissue is reshaped into a more ideal contour, then the underlying support is modified to ensure the gum tissue will remain stable over time. This can be performed with simple local anesthetic and you are able to drive yourself home after the procedure. Most patients report the post-operative discomfort as minimal.
With photo editing it is possible to have a “preview” of what your smile could look like without surgery to see if it is right for you. A smiling photo is taken and “morphed” into the expected result. Please see below for example:
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