Crown Lengthening.– The dental equivalent to trimming cuticles. A skilled cosmetic dentist shifts your gums to a position that reveals more of your teeth and less of your gums. This procedure can also be called gum lift or gum re-contouring, and may involve cutting out gum and bone around the teeth. In cases where the tooth is badly damaged or decayed, the goal of the crown lengthening procedure may simply be to expose enough of the tooth so that a restoration procedure can be performed.Laser Gum Surgery– This is the newest, most comfortable, and fastest healing of all the options. With most cases we can use an advanced diode lasers to re-shape excessive gums quickly and comfortably.

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Is your smile more red than white? Large gums or short teeth can give your mouth an imbalanced, “gummy” look. Fortunately, periodontal options can give you a brand new smile.Excess gum tissue can create the appearance of short teeth and a “gummy” smile—and make your oral health more difficult to manage.. A number of factors can cause a “gummy” smile.

• Inadequate Normal Gum Recession or Altered Passive Eruption: As the teeth erupt (grow out of the gums), the gums recede upwards—most of the time. In some cases, the gums remain and cover part of the teeth, making normal-sized teeth look short.
• Irritation from Braces: If a patient has excessive gum tissue at the time of orthodontic treatment, the gums can become irritated by the braces, in spite of proper oral care.
• Mouth Breathing: Nasal or adenoid problems can lead a patient to breathe through the mouth, especially at night. This habit dries out the gum tissue, leaving it susceptible to disease and overgrowth.
• Medication: Medicine such as Dylantin and Cyclosporine can lead to gum tissue overgrowth.
• High Lip Lines: The shape of the patient’s mouth can sometimes bare more of the gum tissue than is visible in the average person’s mouth.

Gummy smiles can also be caused by attrition, a condition where the teeth have been severely worn down. This case is one where the teeth seriously are too short. Bad habits such as nighttime teeth grinding can cause this wear. This problem can be corrected by tooth lengthening surgery, topped off with caps or crowns to cover the newly lengthened teeth.

Notice in below photos how a gum lift can enhance the smile being restored with porcelain crowns and veneers!