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Cosmetic
Periodontics
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Gum grafting
Periodontal Cosmetic PLASTIC Surgery
Cosmetic surgery of the gums can help enhance the symmetry
and esthetics of your entire smile. It lays the foundation
for cosmetic dentistry by your general dentist.
In some
people teeth appear short and covered up by too much gum. In
others gum may recede, making the teeth look longer and more
sensitive to hot or cold foods. Sometimes your general
dentist or orthodontist needs a better gum or bone
foundation for their work.
Ask Dr. Hoffmeyer for a smile consultation. She can use her
artistic vision and knowledge in different modern
periodontal plastic and aesthetic procedures to sculpt your
gum tissue, make your smile beautiful and work towards achieving the
look you want!
WHY DID MY GUMS RECEED?
The gums may have receded for a number of reasons. These
include aggressive tooth brushing, periodontal disease,
orthodontic movement or problems with your occlusion (bite).
Dr. Hoffmeyer will help you identify the contributing
factors and advise you how to control these factors. It is
important in order to help prevent new or further recession
of your gum and bone loss. This will be done prior to any
soft tissue grafting procedure.
GINGIVAL (GUM) Contouring
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CROWN
LENGTHENING
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Gummy
Smile
If you have a "gummy" smile or uneven gum line, crown
lengthening can help your teeth to look longer and more
even. This procedure removes the excess gum tissue and
exposes more of the crown of the tooth.
GINGIVAL (GUM) Grafting
Soft tissue grafts can be used to improve your smile, cover
roots and develop gum tissue where absent, e.g.:
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Cover exposed roots or implants due to gum recession
that make the tooth look too long.
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Make implants, crowns, bridges and dentures look natural
around the gum-line.
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Prevent food
trapping in the gum and recession around implants and
teeth.
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Protect roots from decay
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Prepare roots for orthodontic treatment when the gum is
too thin.
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Repair gum that has receeded after orthodontic treatment
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Reduce tooth sensitivity to hot or cold foods and
liquids
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Improve the esthetics of you smile.
A tooth is normally surrounded by pink, thick, dense gingiva
(gum) that forms a tight seal and barrier against bacterial
access to the underlying bone. When recession occurs on a
tooth this pink gingival seal becomes narrower or
disappears. Instead the soft, red, thin and loose tissue
(mucosa) found adjacent to the gingiva now acts as a loose
seal around the tooth, not withstanding trauma very well.
The natural defense against bacteria and trauma is reduced.
When minor recession in healthy gingiva occurs, it is most
likely treated by changing oral hygiene procedures. When
recession reaches to the mucosa (soft, red tissue) a
gingival graft procedure is performed.
A little piece of gum tissue is taken from your own mouth
(e.g. palate) or from another donor source and covered over
the exposed root. Sometimes tissue can be gently moved over
from adjacent areas. These procedures can be done for one or
several teeth. This procedure results in a stable healthy
band of attached gum tissue around the tooth.
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Gum grafting to cover exposed roots |
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Lower front teeth show red, inflamed, loose
receeding gum and plaque buildup.
Grafting this area is very difficult.
The primary goal is to prevent further gum loss and
build-up a zone of healthy pink gum. |
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"Black triangle"
between front teeth is a cosmetic problem to the
patient.
Gum grafting reconstruction of lost
papilla (gum between teeth). |
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Tooth (left), implant (middle), tooth build-up
(right).
The tooth has 2-3 mm pink, firm gum. The implant and
tooth build-up has less than ½ mm pink, firm gum.
The present red, movable (mucosa) tissue may cause a
food trap or recession of the gum (left
photo).
Gum grafting creates a wider pink, firm gum (right
photo) |
Frenectomy
Crown Lengthening BEFORE RESTORATIVE / COSMETIC DENTISTRY
When getting a crown, the general dentist must prepare your
tooth to receive the crown. Sometimes there is not enough
tooth structure above the gum-line to accomplish this. This
can be due to decay, fracture or a worn down tooth.
In order for gum tissue to attach on the tooth there must be
3 millimeters of healthy tooth between the margin of a crown
and the bone. If not red, irritated gum and bone loss can be
seen following crown placement. This gum condition is called
"Violation of Biological Width".
Crown lengthening provides more tooth for your crown, it
ensures a more stable crown and allows for less gum
irritation afterwards. Crown lengthening is highly
predictable if carried out correctly.
periodontal surgery
duration:
Frenectomy only takes approximately 15 minutes and
self-desolving sutures are used. This procedure can be done
by laser as well.
Most other periodontal surgeries take approximately 1-1½
hour depending on severity and extent.
Suture removal: 15 minutes at 7-14 days after surgery.
Follow-up visits: 15 minutes at 3 and 5 weeks after surgery.
Re-evaluation of procedure outcome: 3-12 months after
surgery depending on procedure.
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