Aesthetic Dental Transformations

December 18, 2012

By: Dr. Colin Richman

If you are dissatisfied with the appearance of your teeth, you can take action to fix it. Many forms of cosmetic dental surgery can vastly improve your smile.

Sometimes the problem appears to involve the teeth, but the gum tissue is actually at fault. In these cases, consultation with a periodontist can put you on the path to a more attractive smile.

For example, people who have too little gum tissue, due to either recession or genetics, have teeth that appear to be longer than normal. This condition can leave patients self-conscious about their smiles.

A cosmetic dental surgery known as gum grafting can be an effective treatment in this scenario. A gum graft takes soft tissue from elsewhere in the mouth, often the palate, and places it at the site of insufficient gum tissue.

If underlying periodontal disease is at the root of the gum recession, though, it should be controlled prior to gum graft surgery, as the graft may fail if bacteria continue to attack it. You can work with the periodontist to get gum disease treated prior to receiving a graft.

A gum graft can also protect your oral health, as ongoing gum recession can expose the teeth’s roots, causing sensitivity and giving harmful bacteria access to the roots, which are ordinarily protected.

Excessive gum tissue can make the teeth appear to be unusually small and result in a “gummy” smile. Gum recontouring or crown lengthening can achieve the desired outcomes for patients with this condition.

Gum grafts and crown lengthening can be used in spots to even out the gum line or on several teeth, if needed.

Patients who have already lost a tooth face different circumstances that can compromise the appearance of their smiles. The jawbone recedes when the tooth’s root is absent, and this can cause an indentation in the smile and lead to a prematurely aged position. It can also affect choices for tooth replacement

A bone graft is helpful for these patients. Bone from elsewhere in the body is placed at the site to preserve the tooth socket. It also allows the patient to receive a dental implant or bridge that fits in with the rest of the smile.

Patients have many options for aesthetic dental transformations, and periodontists can provide guidance as to which procedures will be most helpful in a particular patient’s case. To learn more about your periodontal treatment options, contact the office of Drs. Colin Richman to schedule your professional consultation today.