Laser Gum Recontouring

If you have excessive gum tissue, then your front teeth can appear short, stubby, and unattractive. What you may not realize is that your beautiful teeth are just waiting to be revealed beneath all of that overgrown soft tissue!

If you have a gummy smile, we may recommend a gum lift, otherwise known as a gingivectomy.

This simple cosmetic procedure can be performed by soft-tissue laser, which minimizes bleeding and hastens recovery time.

We’ll talk with you about your options and what to expect during the procedure, then discuss the outcome you want to achieve.

The day of your procedure, we’ll mark your gum tissue, make sure you’re comfortable with anesthesia or sedation, then precisely remove the excess soft tissue. Your new smile will look bold, beautiful, and better than you ever thought possible!

What is Laser Gum Recontouring?

Laser gum recontouring is the process of reshaping your gums using a low-powered laser to remove excess gum tissue safely when it may be covering up your beautiful pearly whites.

The procedure is minimally invasive and usually performed after an application of a local anesthetic to the general area of the mouth where the work will be performed. Once your mouth has been numbed up, the dentist will position the laser to recontour your gum line.

Is it Necessary?

Most of the time, laser gum recontouring is not medically necessary. Gummy smiles are considered to be an aesthetic concern, not a medical one. However, there are times when the dentist may recommend laser gum recontouring in order to address a medical issue.

In that case, the doctor will use a laser to reshape the gum line to help counter:

• Tooth decay
• Tooth loss
• Periodontal disease
• Gingival infections

What Can Cause Uneven Gums?

There are several causes of uneven gums. Genetics, certain prescription drugs, or a health issue could all cause your gums to look uneven.

If your gums are too high and your teeth appear to be too long, this is usually caused by a gum recession — a condition in which the gum tissue starts to recede back from the tooth. This is a medical issue as well as an aesthetic one, because gum recession can lead to tooth decay and loss. It also might be a sign of periodontal disease.

What Can It Fix?

Laser gum recontouring is primarily performed to fix what’s known as a “gummy smile.” When some people smile, it appears as if their teeth are too short and the smile appears to show more gum than teeth.

The human eye is very sensitive to balance and proportions, and people tend to notice when someone has a gummy smile. This in turn causes the owner of the gummy smile to become self-conscious and try to hide his or her smile as much as possible.

What are the Benefits of Gum Recontouring?

Laser gum recontouring offers many benefits that culminate in a beautiful new smile for the patient. The benefits can include:

• More self confidence
• Renewed appearance
• Improved overall smile symmetry
• Improved gum health
• Balanced tooth-to-gum ratio
• Reduced gum redness

What Does it Cost?

The cost of laser recontouring will vary from patient to patient. This is due to how much work the dentist will need to perform. Some people require only a minimal amount of gum work to be performed; others will require much more work.

The only way to get an accurate cost is to schedule an appointment with one of our highly trained dentists. They will listen to your concerns and then evaluate your smile and give you their recommendation along with a treatment plan.

If the work being done is for medical purposes, then your dental insurance might cover the cost. If the procedure is strictly for aesthetic reasons, then your insurance may not cover anything.

The only way you can know for sure is to make an appointment, have our office give you a treatment plan, then call your insurance company with the medical codes to see if they will cover it.

What is the Recovery Like?

Recovery from laser gum recontouring is usually very quick, due to the fast healing of gum tissue as well as the minimally invasive nature of dental lasers. There is usually very little pain (if any) after the procedure. If a patient does experience pain, it can usually be handled by over-the-counter pain medications.

There is absolutely no downtime after the procedure, and the patient can return back to his or her normal lifestyle after leaving the dental office. If you experience any lingering pain after the local anesthetic has worn off, call our office right away.

Once the procedure is performed, your new appearance is readily visible. There’s no healing or waiting time in order to show off your beautiful new smile!

Laser Gum Recontouring in Chicago

Treat your smile to a little bit of luxury in the heart of Chicago! Call Water Tower Dental Care today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Aneszko or Dr. Stino. From our offices in Water Tower Place building on The Magnificent Mile, we offer a level of service that’s anything but ordinary!

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