Other Periodontal Procedures

Root Coverage (Periodontal Plastic Surgery) to Correct Gum Recession

Do you feel your smile is spoiled because your teeth look too long? Exposed roots, generally caused by receding gums, can make teeth appear too long and asymmetrical in appearance. Your teeth may even start to feel sensitive to hot and cold foods or even sweet drinks. The root surface of teeth is softer than the crown and can be more susceptible to decay and being abraded away by your tooth brush. Our root coverage procedure, called Soft Tissue Grafting, protects teeth and gives you a healthier, more attractive, symmetrical and youthful smile.

To see more before and after images, visit our Root Coverage Smile Gallery.

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Gummy Smile and Lip Repositioning Procedures


Do you have what is known as a gummy smile where too much of your gums show when you smile? Do you feel your teeth look too short or unbalanced with the rest of your mouth and face? Gum reshaping surgery, sometimes called Crown Lengthening, corrects the appearance of short teeth by removing excess gum tissue to expose more of the naturally existing crown of the tooth.

Your teeth may not be “too short” at all; you may just have too much gum tissue covering your teeth and hiding a beautiful smile. In addition, gum reshaping surgery is sometimes used to correct deformities caused by gum disease. Crown Lengthening provides some of the most dramatic and immediate results, restoring your sense of confidence and self-esteem when it comes to your appearance.

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To see more before and after images, visit our Gummy Smile Correction Gallery.

Laser Gum Depigmentation:

Did you know that pigmentation of the gums is a normal physiological process? Depending on the pattern and extent of your pigmentation it may be a noticeable aspect of your smile that you feel can be improved upon. This condition used to be considered untreatable, however, with the use of the MVP-7 Periolase, the same laser used for periodontal disease treatments, you can change your smile in just one procedure! No matter how extensive the pigment, it can be safely, permanently and comfortably removed.

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Pre-Orthodontic Periodontal Augmentation

Did you know that the human jaw is shrinking in size? It may sound like no big deal, but it is much more than not just having room for your third molars (wisdom teeth). Since actual tooth sizes haven’t changed, we end up with a discrepancy between the room needed to house the teeth and the bone needed to hold them. What orthodontists need to do is “expand” the arch in order to treat the crowded teeth. This leads to recession, as much as eight times more than those who haven’t been treated with orthodontics. But there is a silver lining: POPA or Pre-Orthodontic Periodontal Augmentation. In one procedure, our periodontists can help to BOTH quicken the orthodontic treatment time AND prevent/treat the post-orthodontic recession. This treatment needs to be coordinated with an orthodontist who is well educated with these treatment goals and philosophies. Make an appointment with one of our doctors today to discuss this exciting treatment option.

Tori Removal

Tori mandibularies, known as “tori,” are non-cancerous, bony “bumps” of extra bone growths in the mouth. Normally, these bumps don’t bother patients when it comes to eating, drinking or speaking. But sometimes they can become bothersome or inflamed, or even interfere with braces or dentures and require removal.

At the Pennsylvania Center for Dental Implants and Periodontics, we remove tori with the aid of a minimally invasive surgical technique using the evidence-based Piezosurgery® bone-cutting device (Mectron, Columbus, Ohio). This procedure was originally designed for brain surgery procedures in Italy. Patients experience no discomfort during or after the procedure. We have been using this evidence-based technique since 2005 with thousands of success stories.