Treatment
Some reasons why aesthetic gum
surgery may be prescribed are as
follows:
i. To lengthen the tooth crown
by exposing more of the tooth
structure
Your tooth requires a restorative
or cosmetic dental procedure such
as a crown or bridge but as your
tooth is decayed or its structure
broken below the gum line, there is
limited tooth structure for a proper restoration. Crown-lengthening
adjusts the gum and bone level to
expose more of the tooth in order
for it to be restored adequately.
ii. To improve the appearance of
your gum line if your teeth are
covered by too much gums (e.g.
‘gummy smile’)
You may not like the way your
upper teeth shows when you smile
because it appears short as a result
of being covered with too much
gum tissue. To correct this, your
periodontist performs an aesthetic
crown-lengthening procedure on
the affected teeth to enhance the
gum line for a more natural broad
smile.
iii. To graft the teeth areas where
there is gum recession, thus
helping prevent further recession
or root sensitivity
Gum recession due to various
causes can lead to exposed tooth
roots which may then result in
root sensitivity, food plaque
accumulation or an uneven gum
line with the neighbouring teeth.
Gum graft surgery aims to cover
the gum recession area and help to
prevent further recession and the
loss of its underlying bone. During
this operation, gum tissue is taken
from the palate gum area and then
stitched to cover the exposed root.
After healing, tooth sensitivity may
be reduced and the aesthetics of
your smile is improved, in addition
to improved gum health!
