As we get older suddenly we realised many things we didn't appreciate about being young - being fit, having smooth skin and having all your own teeth. As our loose teeth (and bridges) struggle to deal with chewier food we start eating bland mush and, there is no easy way to say this, OLD PEOPLE FOOD. I'm determined not to let that happen to me and I'm doing everything I can to keep my own teeth as long as possible, and when that's not possible to get the best possible teeth replacement. If you are like me and want to keep on eating whatever you want, I think you'll like my site. It's all about dental health and teeth replacement & maintenance.
Keeping your teeth young
Can Gum Sculpting Improve Your Smile?
Mabel Hicks
Cosmetic dentists have various ways to improve your smile. Some are more commonly used than others. For example, whitening is a popular cosmetic solution for teeth that aren't a good colour.
However, you may be in a situation where the colour of your teeth isn't the problem. For example, if your gums are over-large or your teeth are short, then you may be unhappy with the way your front teeth look. You may feel that you have an unattractive, gummy smile.
If you have these problems, then a cosmetic gum sculpting treatment may help. What does this kind of treatment do, and how can it help you?
What Is Gum Sculpting?
Gum sculpting treatments reduce the size of the gums in relation to the teeth. Typically, this treatment uses laser technology.
During the procedure, your dentist usually gives you a local anaesthetic. They then guide a specialist laser over areas of the gum that need to be sculpted. This laser shapes the gum to remove excess tissue and change the way your gums look.
If you're having sculpting done for cosmetic reasons, you'll usually only have your front teeth lasered. There's no point shaping the gums on your back teeth unless you need to have this done because of a dental problem.
How Does Gum Sculpting Affect Your Smile?
Gum sculpting can give you a more attractive smile. For example, it may be a simple way to make your teeth look better if you have the following problems:
- Shorter-than-usual teeth: If your teeth look short, then sculpting gum away from them may make them look longer; here, removing some of your gum will reveal more of your teeth.
- Excess gum tissue: If you have excessive gum tissue then sculpting can cut away the gum that grows down over your teeth, giving you a better gum/tooth balance.
- Uneven gum coverage: You may not be happy with your smile if one part of your gum grows bigger or lower than the rest of your gums, giving you an uneven-looking smile; here, laser sculpting would bring the excess gum in line.
While gum sculpting can be a quick and easy solution to shaping a better smile, it may not always be enough on its own to make things better. In some cases, you may need other work before you can have this procedure done.
For example, you may need some work done on the bone in the area before you can have your gum sculpted. To find out if this procedure might work for you, ask your cosmetic dentist for advice.
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