Experts in Periodontal Plastic Surgery

Often, when you hear the phrase “plastic surgery,” you envision medical doctors performing corrective facial and body procedures. But periodontists, considered the oral plastic surgeons of dentistry, also provide important reconstructive and restorative plastic surgery procedures— for your smile.

In addition to treating gum disease, our board-certified periodontists help protect your teeth and gums by correcting uneven gum lines, decreasing excessive gum appearance, regenerating lost gum tissue and covering exposed roots. We prepare your gums and jaws for dental implant placement, alleviate sensitivity and help prevent tooth loss. By improving the esthetic appeal and functionality of your smile we can help you not just look and feel better but also live healthier lifestyles.

As gum and jawbone specialists, periodontists regularly provide numerous corrective and restorative procedures and treatments to enhance the health and esthetic appeal of your smile.

Many Options for Gummy Smile Correction

 Individuals who feel that their teeth are “too short” often simply have excessive gingival display, what we often term a gummy smile. It’s basically just too much gum tissue showing that, in turn, makes normal-sized teeth look small. Procedures like gingivectomy (also called gingival sculpting), crown lengthening (recontouring gum or jawbone tissue to reveal more of the natural teeth) and lip repositioning (surgical lowering of the upper lip to reduce the amount of gum that shows when you smile) are common oral plastic surgery procedures we use to correct gummy smiles.

Expertly Treating Gum Recession

 Way back when, adults thought that the harder they brushed, the better. Today we know that overzealous brushing (especially with hard-bristled toothbrushes) can cause gum recession, where the gum line around a tooth, what we call the gingival margin, actually wears away or pulls back. The result means exposure of sensitive tooth roots. Harmful bacteria can move in, damaging root structure and eventually, if the area is left untreated, leading to possible tooth loss. Other causes of gum recession can include periodontitis (gum disease), tobacco usage and even genetic predispositions. Regardless of the cause, gum recession is treatable.

With the innovative Chao Pinhole Technique we use special training and tools to rejuvenate gums and address gum recession. Tiny “pinhole”- sized entry points allow us to free up gum tissue to cover the exposed areas. Other root coverage procedures may include soft tissue grafts where we can use your own gum tissue to enhance the appearance of your smile, improve gum health and reduce sensitivity when you eat or drink.

Ensuring Good Tooth Support

 Without healthy gums and strong jawbone support, our teeth can’t survive. Soft tissue (gum) and hard tissue (bone) ridge augmentations are common procedures that allow us to correct jawbone recession. We can replace lost jawbone tissue using parts of your own bone or synthetic bone material to encourage natural bone growth. In general, we have many tools that allow us to recontour the gums and jaw that may have been damaged due to gum disease or trauma, enhancing the health of your smile and/or paving the way for dental implants.

Start Planning Your New 2022 Smile!

If you think you are a candidate for oral plastic surgery, please contact us at one of our convenient locations to schedule an appointment. You can also read more about this subject at https://www.yourdentistryguide.com/periodontists/. No referrals are necessary!