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Periodontal Plastic Surgery

Reflect a Beautiful Smile

When you smile in the mirror, are you reflecting pearly white teeth?  Since first impressions are everything, make them memorable with a winning smile. A dazzling "Hollywood smile" will boost your confidence to be successful in job interviews, meeting new people, and feeling confident when smiling. Periodontal plastic surgery can help you improve your smile.

Cosmetic surgery has become a popular trend, as Americans are living longer and want to look as young as they feel.  Periodontal plastic surgery has also felt this trend, as it has experienced a significant shift toward cosmetic-related surgery to help make smiles last a lifetime.

Gummy Smile

If your teeth look short and your smile is gummy, crown lengthening may be your answer. During this procedure, excess gum tissue is removed to expose more of the crown of the tooth. The gumline is then sculpted to give your smile just the right look.

Long Teeth

Gum recession can cause the tooth root to become exposed making teeth look long. This can also make you look older than you are. Recession can happen as a result of many causes, including periodontal diseases. Whatever the reason, exposed roots are unattractive and can leave you at risk of developing cavities on your tooth root. Soft tissue grafts and other root coverage procedures are designed to cover exposed roots, reduce further gum recession, and protect vulnerable roots from decay.

Missing Teeth

If you’re missing teeth, dental implants might be your answer. Dental implants are a natural looking option compared with dentures or bridges because implants look and feel just like your own teeth. Implants also allow you to speak and eat with comfort and confidence. During this procedure, an artificial tooth root is placed into your jaw, and after a healing period, an artificial tooth is attached to the root.

Indentations in the Gums and Jawbone

Tooth loss can cause an indentation in the gums and jawbone where the tooth was once located. This occurs when the jawbone is no longer is holding a tooth in place. This indention is unnatural looking and can cause the replacement tooth to look longer than the adjacent teeth. Ridge augmentation fills in this defect and recaptures the natural contour of the gums and jaw. A beautiful, natural looking and easy to clean new tooth can then be created.

For more information about periodontal plastic surgery, talk to your periodontist.

Why Periodontal Plastic Surgery?

Do you feel your smile is aging you? Do you hide your teeth when you smile because you don’t like your missing teeth or gummy smile? If these scenarios sound familiar, periodontal plastic surgery is for you. Periodontal plastic surgery can improve the esthetics and function of your smile. A soft tissue graft can reduce further recession and bone loss. Crown lengthening uncovers the tooth or teeth and improves function, allowing you to once again feel the tooth or teeth.

An online survey was posted on the AAP Web site to find out what patients had to say about their experiences with periodontal plastic surgery:

• I’m thrilled with the results. Every day someone asks me about my smile and compliments me on it.
• I cannot believe fixing my gums would make me look so much younger.
• The surgery maximized the look of my smile with minimal discomfort.
• Wow. It looks better than I ever expected. I caught myself smiling freely at a party, which is something I haven’t done for a long time.
• I cannot believe fixing my gums would make me look so much younger.
• The procedure improved my smile and changed my personality because now I smile more.
• I was excited about the results from crowns and veneers, but the improvement of the gums made it beyond my imagination.
• Wow. I was tired of having teeth that were different lengths. Now the gum length flows.
• I finally have the perfect smile for my wedding.
• My teeth are no longer sensitive when I breathe in cold air.

What will you say following a periodontal plastic surgery?

AAP Patient Page, April-June 2004, Vol. 5, No. 2