Gum surgery can also be used to reshape the gums for cosmetic reasons. It is used to improve the cosmetic look of your teeth, particularly, if you have what is commonly known as a ‘gummy smile’. This is a condition in which the gums cover too much of your teeth, usually the front teeth, and this can leave the length of the teeth looking too short, which can affect your general desire to smile. Gummy smiles can have an effect on your self-confidence and your desire to smile in public. Thankfully, Dr. Daphne Kwan in Toronto can use gum surgery to painlessly correct your ‘gummy smile’.
Gingivectomies
You may also need gum surgery to reshape healthy gum tissue around teeth. Gaps (pockets) that form between the teeth and gums can trap bits of food, harbor colonies of bacteria, and make it difficult to keep the area clean. If the pockets involve only soft tissue, they can be removed by trimming the gums or a gingivectomy. If you have too much gum tissue around your teeth you may want to have it removed. Extra gum tissue can make your teeth and gums hard to keep clean. In severe cases, this condition can interfere with chewing and speech. Excess growth of gum tissue can be caused by certain medicines but sometimes there is no apparent cause.
Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening is done to expose more of a tooth. Sometimes, not enough of a tooth structure stands out above the gum to support a filling or crown. This can happen when a tooth breaks off at the gum line. It can also happen when a crown or filling falls out of a tooth and there is decay underneath. To place a filling or crown, Dr. Daphne Kwan needs to expose more of your tooth.
