GUM RECONTOURING
At Park Smiles NYC, we offer the latest in periodontal procedures, including gum recontouring to improve the appearance of your smile and gums. Learn more about us today.
Thanks to laser dentistry, gum recontouring offers more precision and less discomfort than ever before.
What is Gum Recontouring?
At Park Smiles NYC, we speak with patients who are unhappy with the appearance and shape of their gums. While most people think of procedures like teeth whitening when it comes to improving their smile, the appearance of the gums also has a significant impact on one’s smile. And that’s where gum recontouring comes in.
Gum recontouring is a procedure performed by a periodontist that helps change the shape of your gums that are too high or too low. Gums that are too high and make your teeth appear long are often caused by gum recession, a condition where gum tissue pulls back from a tooth and exposes the
tooth’s root.
Not only can gum recession make your teeth look long, but it can lead to serious dental problems such as decay and tooth loss. Gum recession may also be a sign of periodontal disease, which is the deterioration of the supporting structures of the teeth (i.e. gums and bone).
Additionally, gums that cover large portion of your teeth can make your teeth look small. This may be the result of genetics, an underlying health problem, or even taking certain prescription drugs.
A procedure not just for cosmetic reasons
While gum recontouring is often considered a cosmetic procedure and not medically necessary, there are many patients who undergo gum recontouring surgery as part of necessary periodontal procedures, including crown lengthening and pocket reduction. Gum recontouring may also be necessary when recession has occurred and trimming overgrown tissue that has covered part of the tooth crown is required.
What’s involved in gum recontouring surgery?
Thanks to advanced technology – including laser dentistry and sedation dentistry — gum recontouring is today a safe, precise and minimally painless procedure. Rather than cutting into gum tissue with a scalpel, as with traditional surgery, a precise dental laser vaporizes gum tissue, thereby killing bacteria and immediately sealing the wound. This results in far less trauma to the tissue with greater precision than ever before! Unlike traditional gum surgery, laser gum recontouring offers:
- No cutting
- No stitches or sutures
- Shorter recovery time
- More precision and better results
- Minimal discomfort, swelling or bleeding
- Less risk of infection
After the gum recontouring procedure
As mentioned, thanks to laser and sedation dentistry, there will be minimal discomfort during the actual procedure. However, even with laser surgery, patients will experience some swelling and discomfort in the days immediately following the surgery. Following are some general guidelines to follow that will help manage your pain and optimize your results:
- Apply ice packs to your face for fifteen minutes at a time – in addition to using ibuprofen.
- Being that your gums will be sensitive, avoid eating anything that’s sharp or could cut, poke or irritate them in any way. Most people stick with a soft diet for the first couple of days.
- You may be prescribed an antibiotic rinse to use in order to combat a potential infection.
- Continue to brush your teeth, but do so very gently with a soft toothbrush.
- A follow-up visit will be scheduled so your periodontist can determine if everything is healing properly. At that point, assuming everything is okay, you’ll be able to return to your normal dietary habits.
PARK SMILES NYC
Creating world-class smiles with a universal approach to empathetic dental care
Call Park Smiles NYC
June 18, 2024
Our skilled team at Park Smiles NYC, led by Dr. Aryeh Mahana is highly skilled and dedicated to offering a comprehensive array of the very best dental services in New York City. We use our extensive expertise in crafting the highest level of quality care.