The overgrowth of gum tissue can cover up teeth and, for the shy, it can make them want to cover up their smile. A “gummy smile” can make teeth look stubby and the smile look asymmetrical. Not only can gum overgrowth hurt the aesthetics of your smile, it could also pose a risk to the health of your teeth and gums. However, there’s a lot an experienced dentist can do to treat your gummy smile. Find out how a dentist can enhance your smile with laser soft tissue treatment.
The Benefits of Laser Soft Tissue Treatment
To remove gum overgrowth, there’s the conventional route that entails using a scalpel and then there’s the alternative – which leverages dental lasers. While conventional soft tissue treatment with a scalpel may be needed for the most severe of cases, there are a number of benefits of opting to have the procedure done with a laser.
Here’s an overview of the benefits of using dental lasers to treat gum overgrowth:
· Less bleeding occurs
· Shorter healing period
· No need for sutures
· No need for an appointment to remove sutures
· Efficient and accurate
Gingivectomy (Functional)
Gum disease can make gum overgrowth worse, causing pain, bleeding, inflammation and several other problems. As gum disease advances, it creates pockets of bacteria between the teeth and the gums. For these cases, a dentist is likely to recommend a gingivectomy. In cases such as these, there are two goals: remove the overgrowth and reduce the depth of the bacterial pockets.
Gingivoplasty (Cosmetic)
If you’ve kept gum disease at bay, and haven’t formed pockets of space between your teeth and gums, your dentist may recommend a cosmetic gingivoplasty. While a gingivectomy focuses on removing decaying gum tissue, a gingivoplasty focuses only on removing excessive gum tissue and recontouring it. The latter may be done after the former, if cosmetic enhancements are needed after a gingivectomy.
Talk with a Dentist in Van Nuys, CA
Reserve an appointment with a dentist in Van Nuys, CA to learn more about your options for soft tissue treatment and other dental procedures.