Cosmetic gum surgery

The gums frame your teeth. When they cover too much tooth, sit unevenly, or have pulled back, the smile can look off even when the teeth are healthy. Gum contouring and grafting can bring it back into proportion.

Common reasons

A gummy smile

Teeth look short because gum covers part of them. We remove and reshape the extra tissue, and sometimes a small amount of bone, to reveal the natural length of the teeth.

An uneven gum line

One or two teeth look longer or shorter than their neighbors. Contouring evens the line out.

Recession

Exposed roots can be covered with a gum graft.

Planning together

We start with photos and talk about what bothers you about your smile. When veneers or crowns are also planned, we work with your dentist so the gum line and new teeth are designed together.

Questions we hear often

Will the gums grow back after contouring?

When the bone underneath is also reshaped where needed, results are long-lasting.

Is it covered by insurance?

Purely cosmetic procedures usually aren't. If it is part of treating a tooth, such as crown lengthening, part of it may be. We'll check for you.