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Loss of gum tissue
is usually caused by gum disease or recession that occurs
with aging or poor hygiene, and can create the appearance
of very long teeth. Receding gums can also cause increased
tooth sensitivity and put you at risk for losing the
tooth altogether. Cosmetic gum surgery can now effectively
be used to replace lost gum tissue.
gum surgery:
Unlike gum contouring, gum surgery involves replacing
missing gum tissue with tissue from another part of
the mouth. A gum specialist
known as a periodontist usually performs the procedure.
The area of recession is anesthetized with local anesthesia
and prepared for receiving the graft. For larger treatment
areas, general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation
may be preferred.
Once it is ready, a piece
of gum tissue usually from the palate is placed over
the receded area and sutured into place. After the area
is healed, the patient will have lost the "long
in the tooth" look, giving them their natural smile
back.
gum contouring: Gum
contouring can be as simple as removing some of the
gum tissue to eliminate a "gummy" smile or
more complicated, involving removal of both bone and
gum tissue. If just a small amount of tissue needs to
be removed, a diode laser can be used to remove tissue
with anesthesia.This
can usually be accomplished is 15 to 30 minutes.
If a larger amount of tissue
needs to be removed, then gum and bone surgery is required
in a procedure called crown lengthening. This involves
1 to 2 hours, with a required healing period of 4 to
6 weeks.
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