A smile is often the first thing noticed when meeting someone. Dental cosmetic surgery can dramatically improve the appearance for people who have less than perfect smiles.
Cosmetic dentistry can also help improve confidence and self esteem that comes with having a great smile. There are several dental plastic surgery procedures that you may wish to consider if you are concerns about your teeth.
Gummy Smile
The gingiva or gums of the mouth form a frame around the teeth. Some people have a “gummy smile” where the teeth appear to be very short because the gums cover too much of the tooth surface.
Dental cosmetic surgery can correct this problem with a periodontal gum procedure. Excess gum tissue can be removed by the dental plastic surgeon using a laser or other surgical techniques to sculpt the gums into a more pleasing appearance. Cosmetic gum surgery may also be used only on some teeth if the gum line is uneven.
Exposed Roots
As a person ages, the gums may shrink or recede causing a “long tooth” smile. Receding gums can also be caused by periodontal disease. The receding gums expose portions of the roots of the teeth and may show darkened portions along the gum line.
A gingivoplasty procedure may use graft tissue obtained from other areas of the mouth to extend the gums to cover the exposed roots. The graft tissue will be surgically attached to the existing gums and will eventually fill in the area for a more natural, youthful appearance.
Dental Implants
Missing, worn or poorly shaped teeth can seriously damage the appearance of a smile. About half of all people say that the smile is the first thing that they notice when meeting someone new. Dental implants are the permanent replacement of teeth using dental plastic surgical methods.
Dental implants are a permanent alternative to dentures or bridges to replace missing teeth. They can also be performed after the removal of damaged or poorly shaped teeth. Some people need only a few teeth replaced by dental cosmetic surgery but others may wish to have the entire set replaced with implants for a completely new, perfect smile.
Gum line Indentations
If a person has lost a tooth previously or there is damage to the bones supporting the gums, there can be depressions or indentations along the gum line. This occurs because there is not enough bone tissue to support the contour of the gum tissue.
Gum line indentations may cause replacement teeth to look unnatural but may be corrected with a procedure called ridge augmentation. Bone graft tissue from another area of the mouth or an advanced protein graft will be placed in the area of the depression to fill in and support the natural gum line.
After dental cosmetic surgery, you will be able to make a great first impression. Whether you need periodontal gum surgery, teeth implants or another cosmetic dental procedure, you can radiate your inner beauty by showing it to the world through a beautiful smile.