Cosmetic Periodontal Surgery - Woodlands, TX

Gingival (gum) recession can expose sensitive tooth roots, increasing your risk of decay, infection, and tooth loss while also making your teeth appear longer. Poor oral hygiene, periodontal disease, overly vigorous tooth brushing, and hereditary factors can all contribute to gingival recession. Gum graft surgery and other root coverage operations are intended to cover exposed roots, thereby preventing additional gum recession and protecting your sensitive roots.

In many cases, the empty socket left by tooth loss heals on its own, filling in with bone and tissue. In other instances, the original height and width of the socket continue to deteriorate during healing, resulting in a visible depression, cleft, or crease in your gums and jawbone. The indentation in the alveolar ridge can look strange and cause a replacement tooth to appear excessively long compared to neighboring teeth.

Ridge augmentation is a type of bone grafting that recreates the natural contour of your gums and jaw following tooth loss. Doing so enables Dr. Wells to fit you with a beautiful, natural-looking tooth supported by a dental implant or a traditional dental bridge. Soft tissue is pushed away from the ridge during the procedure; artificial bone-like material is implanted in the depressed area beneath your gums. Bone grafting allows your gums to be pulled back into place, resulting in a more symmetrical smile.

Excessive gingival display (a gummy smile) is typically considered anything more than 4 mm of gum tissue visible above your upper teeth when smiling. Excess gum tissue is most often the result of genetics, small teeth, and short upper lip. Other causes include poor oral hygiene, which results in bacteria build-up around gum tissue, incomplete or late eruption of permanent teeth, and side effects from some medications.

Also called a gum lift, gingivectomy involves surgical or laser removal of excess gum tissue. This cosmetic dental technique is an alternative to gum reshaping and crown extension in The Woodlands, TX, with a similar goal—to reduce the appearance of a “gummy grin” and restore a harmonious gum-tooth ratio. Regardless of the underlying cause, carefully removing gum tissue around your teeth and restructuring your gumline to be higher enables you to show off more of your beautiful pearly whites!

Gum contouring is similar to tooth lengthening in The Woodlands, TX, except only gum tissue is modified. The process involves reshaping and contouring your gums for cosmetic purposes or preparing for orthodontic treatment. At Dental Specialists & Implant Center, we use soft tissue lasers to gently remove extra tissue surrounding and above your gum line, resulting in a more balanced smile and longer-looking teeth.

Crown lengthening is a periodontal procedure in which gum tissue and the bone surrounding a tooth are removed to expose more of the crown (visible portion of the tooth). Like a gum lift or contouring, aesthetic crown lengthening in The Woodlands, TX, creates a fuller, more even, and attractive smile by exposing more of the tooth crown. In contrast, functional crown lengthening may be required if tooth decay is below the gumline or a damaged tooth requires a crown. Additional tooth structures must be uncovered to place the restoration securely.