I love that my family dentist is tech-savvy. It's so easy to book a dentist on his smartphone app if I have a tooth problem or if anyone in my family needs emergency problems (I can choose either my normal dentist or another dentist in his practise depending on availability). He also has some great cameras so that we can see exactly what is going on during treatment. I prefer not to see this, but my kids love to be able to see the dentist using his specialised tools to clean and repair their teeth. This blog has some tips on finding a tech-savvy dentist to help give your family the best possible dental care.
Like other cosmetic dentistry procedures, gum sculpting or contouring can give you that perfect smile. This procedure will replace your gummy smile, also called excessive gingival display, with an attractive one that you can confidently flash at any time.
There are two main techniques used for this cosmetic dentistry procedure. Your dentist's recommendation of one over the other will depend on what they will be working with, that is, how much of "too much" gum tissue you have.
Laser Gum Contouring
If you need less than two millimetres of gum tissue removed, then laser gum contouring is right for you. Your cosmetic dentist will, of course, assess several factors to determine your suitability for this particular cosmetic dentistry procedure. The dentist will also insist on resolving dental problems such as gum disease before booking the procedure.
After numbing with a local anesthetic, your cosmetic dentist will use a high-power soft tissue laser to contour your gumline accordingly and seal it for those perfect results.
Surgical Gum Contouring
For the more severe cases where more than two millimetres of gum tissue needs to be removed, this removal is done by surgical lifting, in a procedure commonly referred to as a gingivectomy. The dentist will make incisions and cut away at the excessive tissue using surgical instruments such as scalpels. Will it be a painful experience? No. Like the laser treatment, you will be under a local anesthetic for the procedure. Depending on much tissue will be removed, the surgery can take anywhere from 1-2 hours or more.
A Comparison
Laser gum contouring is less invasive, and the cuts are very precise. The laser cauterizes the gum line, which translates to less bleeding during the procedure compared to the surgical treatment. This cauterization also makes this cosmetic dentistry procedure more sanitary compared to surgery, and with it, comes reduced risk of infection as there are no open incisions. Similarly, you can expect to enjoy a shorter recovery time with laser gum sculpting.
Laser treatment is the most preferred technique among different cosmetic dentistry practitioners. Looking at these advantages, it is easy to see why this is the case. However, when the circumstances demand it, your dentist will book you for surgical gum contouring.
Where the gums cover too much of the teeth as is characteristic of a gummy smile, the teeth tend to appear much smaller. Reducing this gumline through the cosmetic dentistry procedure that is gum sculpting, will help to fully reveal your teeth, giving you a fuller and more radiant smile.
For further information, reach out to a cosmetic dentistry clinic near you.
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