Everyone desires to have the perfect smile. This plays a considerable role in how you feel about yourself. However, dental conditions like a gummy smile can affect your smile and confidence. A gummy smile refers to extra gum tissues covering part of your teeth. Fortunately, you can correct this with a cosmetic dentistry surgery known as a gum lift or gum contouring.

If you’re in Tampa, FL, and its surroundings, Dalton Dental can help you feel happier, more comfortable, and more confident about yourself with a gum lift surgery. Keep reading to know more about this procedure and who can benefit from it!

Gum Lift Surgery and Gum Contouring Explained

Gum lift surgery is a cosmetic surgery performed by a dentist to reshape an uneven gum line. The dentist removes excess gum tissue and creates an appearance with more or longer symmetrical teeth. This procedure is also called gum gingivectomy, gum recontouring, or gum sculpting. You may also consider a gum lift as part of crown lengthening and pocket reduction procedures.

Your dentist will perform this procedure in their office while you’re under local anesthetic. It takes one to two hours to complete and is considered safe, with recovery time taking less than a week for minor procedures.

What Does Gum Lift Surgery Entail? 

A gum lift surgery is a three-step process that involves consultation, surgery, and recovery. Here’s a breakdown of these procedures:

Consultation 

Before the gum contouring procedure, Dalton Dental in South Tampa, FL, will schedule an initial consultation to understand your needs and expectations. This may be followed with photographs of your smile to create your treatment plan. Your dentist will also perform a dental exam to rule out any oral health condition, such as gum disease and cavities, that may compromise the surgery.

The dentist will also check the gum-to-tooth ratio to evaluate and determine how much tissue will need to be removed.

Finally, they will also assess your lip position, facial bone, structure, and tooth wear to understand your dental symmetry.

Gum Lift Surgery Process

The gum lift surgery starts with administering a local anesthetic to numb your gums. You may opt for sedation to keep you more comfortable, which will be discussed during your initial consultation. The dentist will then perform the procedure by following these steps:

• Mark the location for your new gum line using a special pen
• Remove excess tissues with a handheld laser
• Depending on your teeth’s anatomy, there may be some bone removal as well
• Reshape the remaining gum tissues to achieve the uniform look you desire

Recovery 

It’s common for your gum to swell or feel tender immediately after a gum lift surgery. Your dentist may recommend some over-the-counter medications to relieve the pain. You should also avoid spicy and crunchy foods and follow your dentist’s directions on brushing your teeth during healing.

Who is Gum Lift Surgery For? 

A gum lift is usually considered by people with gummy smiles who wish to improve their smile. Gum lift surgery may also be a part of periodontal procedures such as pocket reduction and crown lengthening. Some benefits of a gum lift surgery include the following:

• It creates an even gum line and a balanced gum and teeth ratio
• It’s changes are permanent
• Has a short recovery period
• It boosts your oral health since it makes it easier to clean your teeth

Gum Lift & Contouring in Tampa, FL 

If you’re unhappy with how your gum line affects your smile, ask us about the possibility of a gum lift surgery. This cosmetic procedure will help you remove the excess gum on your teeth, create the perfect teeth-to-gum ratio, and improve your smile.

At Dalton Dental, we can help you with that dream smile you’ve always wanted. Dr. Hilary Dalton has a wealth of experience in this and other cosmetic dentistry procedures that will help you improve your smile.

Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.