Gummy Smile & Gum Contouring
Indianapolis & Fishers, IN
At Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, we offer a wide range of periodontal and dental implant services. Our caring and compassionate team has one collective priority and that is your smile.
A gummy smile can have a negative effect on the perception of your smile. But a gummy smile can be easily corrected through several different treatment options, one being gum contouring.
When you smile, do you feel the appearance of your upper teeth is out of balance with excessive gum tissue? Do you think that your upper teeth seem too short compared to the amount of gingival tissue displayed when you smile? If you answered yes, you may have a condition that is commonly called a gummy smile, or excessive gingival display.
A gummy smile can have a negative effect on the perception of your smile. But a gummy smile can be easily corrected through several different treatment options, one being gum contouring.
Implant Dentistry and Periodontics will help you with your gummy smile and some simple gum contouring. We offer a wide range of important periodontal and dental implant services. Our quite thoughtful team works diligently on an overall goal of providing you with the best quality service for your overall oral health. We will address your dental concerns in a calm, relaxing environment, and approach your dental care as an important partner on your health care team. If you would like to have an evaluation about the potential of you having a gummy smile corrected with a gum contouring treatment, call our Indianapolis office at 317-574-0600 or our Fishers office at 317-842-2273 to schedule your appointment today.
An attractive smile means not just straight, white teeth, but also the proper ratio between the teeth and the visible gums. A gummy smile shows more gum than is considered desirable. If your gummy smile bothers you, gum contouring can restore a more aesthetically pleasing balance between teeth and gums with your smile.
Award Winning Periodontics
in Indianapolis and Fishers
Dedication to providing the best periodontal care to Indianapolis and Fishers isn't just something Drs. Edwards and Christman talk about. They are board certified periodontist, which means they have gone above and beyond what most periodontists do to master his field of work. They have sought out further education to bring the most promising new treatments to their patients.
Some Causes of a Gummy Smile
A gummy smile does not necessarily mean there is anything fundamentally wrong with your teeth or gums. The ratio between the gums and the teeth is a usually cosmetic issue, and even at that it is not a problem unless you feel self-conscious about it. However, it may occur because the teeth did not emerge properly from the gums, a condition called delayed passive eruption. It may also happen if your upper lip pulls back farther than normal when you smile.
Your smile can also look gummy if your teeth are proportionally small or have become severely worn down. Regardless, Implant Dentistry and Periodontics can correct your gummy smile and with gum contouring modify your gum-line. Here are a few examples of some causes:
- The muscle that controls the movement of your upper lip could be hyperactive, which causes your upper lip to lift higher than normal. With this movement more of your gum tissue is exposed when you smile.
- An excessive display of gum tissue in your upper jaw may be the result from the abnormal eruption of your teeth. Teeth that are covered by excessive gum tissue appear shorter, even though they may be the proper length.
- The way in which your upper jawbone grew and developed could cause the appearance of a gummy smile. For example, if there is an excessive bulging protrusion of the upper jaw within the gum tissue, you would experience an obvious gummy appearance when you smile.
Is It Just an Aesthetic Problem?
The smile line or aesthetic zone, the teeth that are showing when you are smiling, is determined by several contributing factors, including:
- The shape and size of your teeth.
- Your gum tissues.
- The shape and size of your lips.
- Your facial muscles.
The ideal smile line appearance should reveal the least amount of gum tissue possible. Your gum tissue visible in your smile line should have balanced, even contours that are in harmony with your upper lip. It is for this reason that many people with a gummy smile find their smile to be unattractive, often feeling reluctant to smile at all.
More serious underlying dental conditions could be present. If you have a gummy smile as a result of how the teeth erupted and how your jaw developed, you may also have an uncomfortable or improper bite that could ultimately affect your long-term oral health.
At Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, we offer a wide range of periodontal and dental implant services. Our caring and compassionate team has one collective priority and that is your smile.
Contact Our Team Today
The Different Treatment Options for a Gummy Smile
If you think you have a gummy smile, visit Implant Dentistry and Periodontics for an evaluation and treatment options. There have been studies done to determine what is considered excessive gingival display. It shows that smiles are attractive when two millimeters or less of gum tissue was exposed. At around three millimeters or more, the smile was thought to be gummy. We will examine your mouth, teeth, and gums to determine the extent of the excessive gingival display and the possible causes. This examination may include conventional or digital impressions of your teeth and gums. We may also need to capture X-rays so that your tooth roots and jawbone can be carefully examined as well. Treatment at Implant Dentistry and Periodontics could include one or more of the following:
- Same-day laser treatments in minor cases.
- Surgical Sculpting of the gingival tissues and bone to create healthier and more attractive looking gum contours.
- Surgical lip repositioning.
- Orthodontics (braces) to move the teeth into more suitable positions.
- Maxillofacial surgery to reposition the bone.
The professionally trained team at Implant Dentistry and Periodontics can perform a crown lengthening procedure to correct the appearance of your gummy smile. During this procedure, we will remove the excess gum tissue, and possibly bone, to expose more of the tooth’s surface. This gum contouring procedure can be performed on one or more teeth to create an even gum line or a more natural looking smile.
The American Academy of Periodontology states that the benefits of gum contouring procedures include increased comfort, self-esteem and self-confidence when smiling, eating, and speaking, as well as improved periodontal health.
State of the Art Technology
For Advanced Periodontics
Offering the best periodontal care in the world requires the most advanced technology in the world. Drs. Edwards and Christman are always in search of new ways to provide patients with better results and do it in a way that minimizes pain and recovery time. They are also happy to take up technologies that make it easier to communicate with patients and allow us to do our jobs in more environmentally friendly ways.
Earning your Trust with High Quality Periodontal Care
When you schedule a visit with our magnificent team at Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, you will be encircled in our level of professionalism by a friendly team that has the most advanced dental technology at our disposal in our clinic. We are quite conscientious and accurate because we understand exactly how different and unique each patient really is. We intentionally plan personalized treatments that work for your desires and budget. We work diligently to place value back into your undervalued personal asset, your smile, so any dental procedure we perform for you is with your best interests and oral health in mind.
At Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, we offer a relaxed and stress-free environment, and we want you to be comfortable with our abilities and services. Scheduling an appointment for a potential gum contouring procedure to correct a gummy smile is an important step towards being proactive in your oral health and regaining your healthy smile. To schedule an appointment, call our Indianapolis office, 8801 North Meridian St., Ste 103, Indianapolis, at 317-574-0600 or our Fishers office, 9885 E. 116th St, Ste 300, Fishers, at 317-842-2273.