A beautiful smile should not be full of gums. You may be interested in gum contouring whether you have excessive gum display naturally or due to an underlying condition. Our Los Angeles dentist, Dr. Anthony Mobasser, would be glad to help you determine why your smile is too gummy. If you think you could benefit from a gummy smile procedure, please call us to schedule your free consultation as soon as possible.
What is Gum Contouring?
Gum contouring is a procedure that scales and reshapes your gumline. The procedure can be done for cosmetic or medical purposes.
Your dentist will remove excess gum tissue to give you a new smile line. You will typically only require local anesthesia to numb the area as this is a relatively quick treatment and usually only takes one visit.
The tools required for this procedure are lasers or scalpels. Sometimes sutures will be used to hold the gums while they heal. You can expect to be done with this procedure within an hour or two.
Is the Procedure Painful?
Due to the local anesthesia you are given before you undergo gum contouring, this should not be a painful experience. The injection does not remove all sensations of the procedure but makes it pain-free. You may feel uncomfortable if you require a great deal of shaping, which is entirely normal.
Once your procedure is finished and the numbness wears off, your gums may feel tender. Your dentist may advise you to take over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol. You may also want to use an ice pack to help with pain and swelling over the next few days.
Cosmetic vs. Medical Purposes
As mentioned, gum contouring is done for cosmetic and medical purposes, but this elective procedure is typically done for cosmetic reasons. People with gummy smiles who wish to show off more of their teeth greatly benefit from scaling their gumline back.
This procedure also treats periodontal disease when non-surgical methods do not work. Dental insurance may cover the cost either partially or entirely for patients who require gum scaling for medical reasons, whereas dental insurance typically does not cover cosmetic treatments.
If you have any questions, please reach out right away for your free consultation.
Recovering from Gum Contouring
As mentioned above, you may want to use Tylenol and ice packs to help with pain and swelling for the first few days following your procedure. While you can return to normal activities relatively quickly, your gum tissue will likely take longer to heal than it would for you to feel back to normal.
It is best to take it easy for the first few days. You may want to stick to easy-to-eat foods such as applesauce, pudding, soups, and yogurt.
You will return to your dentist for a follow-up treatment several days following your surgery to check your healing. If there are any signs of infection, you will be given antibiotics.
This is a fairly routine procedure, and recovery should be uncomplicated. Always reach out to your dentist with concerns.
Complimentary Consultation with Our Los Angeles Dentist
Dr. Anthony Mobasser is passionate about helping his patients achieve their best smiles. Our gum contouring procedure may be right for you if your smile is ruined by showing off too much of your gums. Do not hesitate to call our office to schedule your free consultation as soon as possible. You deserve to look your best, and our Los Angeles dentist can help you achieve that.
