Laser Gummy Smile
Are you self-conscious of your smile due to an uneven and overextended gum line? Excessive gingival display, a condition more commonly known as “gummy smile”, refers to a gum line that extends too far over the teeth. Gummy smile is often deemed as being undesirable as it has a negative aesthetic impact by making the teeth look smaller than they should, distracting from one’s smile. The proportions and beauty of your smile, determined by the position, colour, and shape, contribute greatly to your overall facial harmony. This is why you may find yourself embarrassed or unhappy with your gummy smile as the imbalanced ratio of gum to teeth adversely affects the proportions of your smile. How do we go about determining what constitutes an optimal smile? Aside from one’s overall gum tissue structure, several factors including the shape and size of one’s teeth and lips can be used to establish aesthetic specifics. Generally a perfect smile will reveal very little gum tissue bearing balanced contours that align evenly with the upper lip. With a recorded prevalence ranging from 10.5% to 29%, gummy smile is one of many developmental deformities and aesthetic concerns that affect a substantial portion of the population.
Gummy Smile Causes
So, what exactly is the cause of a gummy smile? It is possible that you have a hyperactive muscle controlling your upper lip which causes it to rise higher than it should, thus resulting in overexposed gum tissue. Alternatively, your upper jawbone may have developed in a manner by which excessive bulging protrusion occurred within the gum, causing a gummy smile. If you are unhappy with your smile, you may want to consider going to the Vancouver cosmetic dentist and undergoing cosmetic dental procedures such as laser, which provides a quick and painless solution to gum contouring. Upon a consultation with your Vancouver dentist, you can establish which procedure is best suited to treat your gummy smile depending on the severity of your case. In some instances, those with more extreme conditions of gummy smile may be referred to a specialist. Since a gummy smile is not always strictly a cosmetic problem, it’s important to consider other potential underlying issues that may be present.
Gummy Smile Treatment
Unlike procedures of the past, such as use of the scalpel, laser treatment offers a much more comfortable procedure and recovery period. Different to the scalpel, the laser seals, or cauterizes, the gum as it contours so there is no bleeding, and therefore no need for stitches and minimal chance of infection. The dentist preforming your laser gum contouring procedure will start the process off with a local anesthesia to numb your mouth in order to minimize discomfort. Upon the laser gum contouring procedure, there is potential for minimal soreness or swelling. That being said, discomfort generally lasts no more than a week and shouldn’t interfere with daily activities like talking and eating. Pain relieving medication such as ibuprofen can help to eliminate any following discomfort, and brushing and flossing should be done with gentle care.
Candidates for laser gum contouring are not limited to only those who seek out full gum treatment. The gum line can be treated above an isolated tooth if needed. Depending on the length of gum line treated, the procedural costs may range from the lower hundreds up to around $3000. Additional procedures such as placement of dental crowns or porcelain veneers may be incorporated into the operation if desired.