How Unhealthy Gums Affect Your Smile

Your gums are an essential part of your smile. They frame and define your teeth through three key relationships: color, shape, and proportion.

The color of your gums tells whether they’re healthy or not. Healthy gums create a proper contrast with your teeth to make them look white. Unhealthy gums become uneven and generally redder in color, which calls attention to them and away from your teeth.

Another effect of unhealthy gums is swelling. When your gums become swollen, they disrupt the shape of your teeth. The shape of your tooth is defined by its four borders, including the border with the gums. When your gums become swollen, the fourth border of your teeth becomes irregular, which can make your teeth and your smile look unattractive.

Red and swollen gums are an early sign of gum disease and should be treated. Left untreated, gum disease will lead to receding gums, and, eventually, tooth loss.

Healthy Gums Can Still Be a Problem

beautiful young woman with a great smile and recontoured gumsBut healthy gums aren’t always attractive, either. Your smile should have a pleasing proportion of tooth and gums visible. If your gums are too large, it might look as though your teeth are too small.

Your gums are also vital in creating the line of your smile. The line of your gums should mirror the line created by the tops of your teeth. If your gums are overgrown in some areas or have receded in others, it can create an impression that your teeth are irregular in size or make them look crooked, even if they’re straight.

How Gum Recontouring Works

Gum recontouring allows us to shape your healthy gums so that they are both proportional and have an even, sculpted appearance. If you have excess gum tissue, we do gum recontouring with a soft tissue laser that can remove your tissue without a blade. This means there is less discomfort, less bleeding, and a faster healing time.

If you have receding gums, Chao Pinhole Surgery™ can be used to restore your gums to a healthy position with just a tiny incision–no need for stitches.

Gum Recontouring Alternatives

Gum recontouring isn’t always the right solution to your smile. Gum disease treatment can help with many concerns you may have about the appearance of your gums.

We might also find that your teeth look small because they are small. In that case, we may recommend porcelain veneers to lengthen your teeth rather than removing gum tissue.

If you would like to learn more about improving the appearance of your smile with gum recontouring in Wilmington, NC, please call (910) 392-6060 for an appointment at Kuzma Advanced Dentistry.