Imagine having perfect, pearly white teeth. Do you think it is enough to have a beautiful smile? Well, pearly white teeth might not give you the best smile you deserve. Sometimes too much gum or too little gum can hide the beauty of your teeth. You might not feel satisfied and pleased with your smile even if you have perfectly shaped white teeth. Here, a gum contouring procedure can be exactly what you need. Through this procedure, you can improve the appearance of your teeth and smile.
Some people’s gum line is too low, some are too high, and it might even be uneven in some cases. Therefore, the procedure not only takes care of a gummy smile but can also add gum tissue if your gums are receding. Although it is a popular cosmetic procedure, it is also medically necessary in certain cases, such as gum recession due to disease. Anyway, let’s find out what gum contouring actually is and whether you are the right candidate for the procedure.
What is Gum Contouring?
Gum contouring, also known as gum reshaping or tissue sculpting, is a dental procedure that is mostly done for cosmetic purposes. The process involves the dentist cutting away or removing excess gum tissue from around your teeth.
Gum contouring also involves adding gum tissue to the gum line if the patient desires. This is usually a medical necessity if gum recession has occurred due to oral disease. This is an outpatient procedure that can take 1-2 hours.
Who Is the Right Candidate for Gum Contouring?
There are many instances in which a gum contouring procedure can help improve the overall appearance of your smile or teeth. For instance, as mentioned above, gum contouring is suitable for you if you have a gummy smile. Those who have a gummy smile sometimes feel embarrassed when smiling because too much of their gums show when they’re laughing or smiling. Through this treatment, the dentist will remove the excess gum tissue so that you have a more balanced gum tissue and teeth in your mouth.
You might’ve noticed that some people have the perfect teeth. However, when they’re talking, laughing, or smiling, their teeth appear crooked or uneven. The fault is in their gum line, not the teeth. This unevenness of the gum line can negatively impact your facial aesthetics. Thus, in this case, too, you can have a gum contouring procedure. Sometimes it also happens that the gum tissue is slightly protruded on just one tooth. This will make your tooth appear misshapen. In this case, a simple gum contouring can remove the excess tissue so that the gum line becomes even.
Gum contouring doesn’t always serve a cosmetic purpose. Many people need to get the procedure so that they can prevent the food particles from getting stuck in the pockets between their teeth and gum tissue. It is extremely important for the patient to get this condition treated as it can greatly damage the supporting tissue and bone structure. So, let’s find out more about how and when gum recession makes gum contouring a necessity.
When Is Gum Contouring Used for Medical Purposes?
Although gum contouring is commonly used for aesthetic purposes, sometimes it can serve a medical function. Your gums protect the root of your teeth, and also make sure to hold the teeth firmly in place. You can think of your gums as the glue that holds onto your teeth rather tightly. But due to gum disease, gum recession can occur.
It gets problematic when the gums have receded to such an extent that there are spaces in between your gums and teeth. This makes space for bacteria and plaque. Moreover, whenever you’re eating, food particles can easily get stuck in these spaces. If it gets worse, you can lose your teeth and even damage your jawbone. Here, if you get gum contouring, you can actually improve your oral health. It can save your gums and teeth. Therefore, you can consider getting it done.
What is the Procedure of Gum Contouring?
Gum contouring is best performed by gum specialists. Many people wonder if the gum contouring procedure will cause them pain. During the procedure, you’ll be under the effect of the local anaesthetic, so at most you might feel tenderness and discomfort. Before the procedure begins, the dentist will give you local anaesthesia to numb the area. However, after the treatment, the dentist might prescribe you painkillers.
After the injection, the dentist can use different tools, such as scalpels or lasers, to remove the gum tissue. This goes on for a couple of hours, during which the gum is resculpted. Once done, you’ll see more of your teeth than before. It is possible that your dentist might use sutures. This will make sure that the gum tissue doesn’t move.
If your gum tissue is too receded, you might find it unattractive. Therefore, through gum contouring, the dentist can also add gum tissue to your mouth. For this purpose, the dentist will collect tissue from other areas of the mouth.
How Long is the Recovery Period of Gum Contouring?
That essentially depends on the patient and the extent of the treatment. If the resculpting isn’t that extensive, you might recover quickly. The technique used by the dentist for performing the procedure can also determine the length of the recovery period. Still, it might take you a few days to a few weeks to start feeling better. The painkillers can help with the pain, but you have to be careful about what you’re eating. You’ll have to eat soft foods for a few days. Your dentist will guide you about this.
What is the Aftercare Process?
Initially, you might experience swelling along with tenderness. This is why it is important that you only consume soft food for at least 2 to 3 days after the treatment. You can consider eating:
- yoghurt
- pasta
- soft eggs
- bananas
- soup
Make sure to discuss all the dietary restrictions with your dentist so that the aftercare process goes smoothly. At any cost, avoid hard, crunchy foods, especially those with small seeds. These can get trapped in the area between your gums and teeth, which can cause infection. So, take all the precautionary measures.
Besides the swelling and sensitivity, you might also experience discomfort and irritation. Make sure that you do not take any medicine that contains aspirin as it can thin the blood. This can cause increased bleeding. So, avoid it.
As mentioned earlier, sometimes the dentist might make stitches to hold the gums in place. If this happens, then the dentist will strictly advise you against any physical activity. You might hit your face, and it can reopen the surgical area. Therefore, it’s best if you avoid any physical activity like exercising, swimming, and playing sports for at least a few days. Only resume such activities after your dentist has given you the green light for them.
An important part of the aftercare process is brushing and flossing. Of course, when you’re brushing your teeth, some of the bristles end up scraping the gum tissue. Therefore, you need to be very careful. You cannot let the bristles scrub harshly on the gum tissue. You can also not have your floss strike the gum tissue as it can cause you pain. Being gentle is key. Otherwise, you might end up irritating the sensitive areas in your mouth.
How Much Is Gum Contouring?
The gum contouring cost UK depends on the number of teeth that are being treated. It won’t be available on the NHS for cosmetic purposes, so you’d have to get it privately. A single tooth can end up costing anywhere between £100-250, so the total cost of the treatment for the front teeth in the upper jaw can end up costing you thousands of pounds. Since dental care is more affordable in Turkey, you can consider getting gum contouring surgery there.
Concluding the Discussion
So, now you know that sometimes having perfectly straight, even, and pearly white teeth aren’t enough. Your teeth might still look crooked because of an uneven gum line. It can even make your teeth look too small. Gum recession is another issue that can occur due to gum disease. It can make you lose your tooth and jawbone. Therefore, gum contouring can immensely help you. If your gum tissue is too less or receded, your teeth might look too large and long. However, if the tissue is in excess, it can greatly cover your teeth, decreasing their size. If you’re struggling with any of these problems, then you can consider getting this treatment.
Many people feel ashamed about their smiles, which makes them fearful or embarrassed of smiling in front of other people. Since it’s such a natural emotion, one should feel no restraints in expressing it. The unsightly appearance of teeth or gums can come in the way, though. Therefore, to make yourself feel more comfortable and confident about your smile, you can consider a gum contouring treatment.