Gum Lift

The appearance and overall health of the gums plays a significant part in the beauty of a smile. If teeth look too small, too wide, too short or aren't symmetrical, a smile can look 'gummy' and appear to be more pink than white. Whether it is done on it's own or in combination with another cosmetic dentistry procedure, a gum lift can deliver extraordinary and often surprising results in improving a smile.

Too much gum and not enough tooth showing is primarily the issue with a gummy smile, and a gum lift can quickly and fairly painlessly make a dramatic improvement. Gum lifting (also referred to as gum re-contouring or crown lengthening) is a simple procedure where a cosmetic dentist adjusts or moves the gum line to a more aesthetically pleasing position. Re-countouring the gums can not only improve the way that the gums look, but also the shape, size and emerging appearance of the teeth.

When a gummy smile is a result of excessively short teeth from either genetics, or things like nighttime tooth grinding, tooth lengthening surgery may be the way to go. In this case, a gum lift is combined with caps or crown to cover the newly lengthened teeth.

As a procedure, a gum lift is generally performed in a single visit, and can be done for one or two teeth or dramatically change a full smile. Although the procedure and healing are relatively quick, it should be understood that it can take up to twelve weeks for the gums to take their final position.