While excess gum tissue covering teeth may not be a medical concern, it can affect the smile’s overall appearance. For example, it often makes teeth appear short and stubby, making the smile appear “gummy.” If you find it difficult to show your smile off because of excessive gum tissue, don’t worry, there’s a solution out there for you. To learn whether veneers, gum recontouring, or Invisalign can help your smile, keep reading to learn more from an experienced cosmetic dentist.

Should You Consider Gum Recontouring?

Gum recontouring is a cosmetic treatment designed to remove excess gum tissue carefully and conservatively from your smile. Ahead of treatment, local anesthesia is administered directly into the gum tissue to make the process as comfortable as possible. From there, small amounts of tissue are modified and removed where necessary to accomplish two goals.

The first is to make teeth more visible, removing the “gummy” appearance you are already familiar with. The second is to ensure the gum line is more even overall. This means gum recontouring can effectively make teeth more visible as well as ensure a balanced gum line.

How Veneers Can Help

This option is ideal for those who not only have excessive gum tissue, but worn down teeth as well. At the start of treatment, the dentist performs crown lengthening (another term for gum recontouring) to make the teeth appear longer. From there, a veneer can be attached to the tooth, ensuring that it not only becomes more visible but blends in with nearby teeth as well.

Keep in mind that while this treatment can completely transform your tooth’s appearance, it may require modifying existing enamel to place. This means the alterations to the tooth are permanent.

What Invisalign Can Do for Your Gums

While Invisalign is not usually a treatment people consider when they want to make adjustments to their gums, it’s actually more effective than you might think! In some cases, the position of the teeth and jaw make the gums stick out and look more prominent. This is especially the case when an overbite (when the top arch of teeth is sticking out past the bottom arch) is present. While this treatment can take several months to complete, it can be very effective at reducing the visibility of gum tissue without physically removing it.

With multiple options to choose from, there’s no reason not to get in touch with a cosmetic dentist today and find out which treatment can best address your gummy smile!

About the Author

Dr. Jason Kboudi has been a practicing dentist for over 22 years and performs a wide variety of dental treatments in his office, including highly personalized cosmetic procedures designed to address gummy smiles. Whether it’s through veneers, gum recontouring, or Invisalign, he can develop a treatment plan tailored to your needs. To schedule an appointment, you can contact him through his website.