Cosmetic Periodontal Surgery

Gum Grafting

Cosmetic periodontal procedures are a conventional way to cover unsightly, sensitive, or exposed root surfaces and to prevent future gum recession.  The most common cosmetic procedure is the soft tissue graft.  This is used to reduce unattractive exposed root surfaces, reducing gum recession and protect the teeth from root sensitivity.

Short Teeth,  Gummy Smile

On the other hand, if you are unhappy with the appearance of short, unsightly teeth, this can be greatly improved by a combination of periodontal procedures by Drs. Pollack, Odrich or Sarmiento and cosmetic dentistry by your dentist.

Although your teeth appear short, they may actually be the proper length. The teeth may be covered with too much gum tissue. We can correct this by performing the periodontal plastic surgery procedure, crown lengthening. During this procedure, excess gum and bone tissue are reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth. This can be done to more than one tooth, to even your gum line, and to create a beautiful smile.

Gum  Concavities

Tooth loss causes the jaw bone to shrink and can lead to an unnatural looking indentation in your gums and jaw, an appearance of aging. The original look of your mouth may not be recaptured because of spaces remaining under and between replacement teeth. They may appear too long compared to nearby teeth.  These unsightly “craters” can be reduced and a more normal contour of gum recreated by ridge augmentation to increase the volume of bone, sometimes with a combination of gum grafting to increase the amount and thickness of gum in the area.

Bone grafting following tooth loss, known as Socket Preservation, can preserve the socket/ridge and minimize gum and bone collapse. There is less shrinkage and a more aesthetic tooth replacement, whether you’re planning on implant placement or a conventional fixed bridge to replace the missing tooth/teeth.

For more information about gum grafting, and bone grafting, please refer to the treatment section of our website, and click on each individual procedure for an in-depth description.