Resolve An Uneven Gum Line For A Better-Looking Smile - Meliora Dental | Dentist in Leeds, Yorkshire

Periodontal treatment is one of our stand-out areas of expertise here at Meliora Dental.

Part of this service includes treating excess gum tissue and the loss of gum tissue. Brushing too hard, genetics, and periodontal disease are the main culprits for your gum-to-tooth ratio being out of sync.

One of the treatments that can often be overlooked (and yet hugely aesthetically beneficial) is a gum lift to address what’s known as a ‘gummy smile’. In addition to gum lifts for gummy smiles, we can address the opposite issue, gum recession. Both of these issues can affect the aesthetic of your smile, and in some cases, gum recession can be a symptom of gum disease.

What Is A Gummy Smile And How Will Treatment Benefit Me?

A gummy smile is characterised by having short, square-looking teeth. This is a consequence of having too much gum on show when you smile. It’s a condition that affects approximately 15-25% of the population, so you’re not on your own.

Using a technique called gum contouring, a periodontist can address this excess gum tissue to rebalance the aesthetic of your smile.

Here at Meliora Dental, we can also provide gum grafts to address smiles that have lost gum tissue, which can cause teeth to look longer than they should.

Gummy smiles treatment benefits:

• Gives you a more uniform, symmetrical and balanced-looking smile
• Your smile will be more in proportion. The gum-to-tooth ratio will be restored.
• Teeth that look small and square can be made to look longer by reducing the amount of gum tissue covering them.
• Teeth that look longer due to a lack of gum tissue can be altered to provide proportion.
• Better confidence to smile without feeling self-conscious.

What causes excess gum tissue?

Excess gum tissue: This is when there is excess gum tissue present, causing teeth to appear smaller.

Shorter teeth: Some individuals naturally have shorter teeth, which can make a normal amount of gum tissue appear out of balance with the teeth.

Tooth wear: When teeth become worn due to grinding or decay, it can throw the teeth out of aesthetic balance with the gums.

Hyperactive upper lip: This is a genetic condition causing hyperactivity of the upper lip. When the muscles in the upper lip are overactive, this can cause a lift in the lip when you smile, exposing more gum tissue. Using muscle relaxing injections, it’s possible to temporarily paralyse the signals between the nerve and the muscle in the upper lip, preventing it from rising too much (and exposing excess gum) when you smile.

What Causes Loss Of Gum Tissue?

Gum recession can be a clinical issue, arising as a result of gum disease. However, it can also come about due to brushing too hard.

Periodontal disease:  periodontal disease (advanced gum disease) is the main reason for tooth loss in adults in the UK. Once gum disease has reached this stage, it literally eats away at your gum tissue, and without treatment, it starts to attack your jawbone too.

Bleeding gums when you brush and floss are tell-tale signs of periodontal disease. Once enough gum recession has occurred, teeth can become loose and are likely to need extraction. However, when caught early enough, it’s possible to carry out gum recession treatment with a gum graft to reintroduce healthy gum tissue.

Overenthusiastic toothbrushing: Using a manual toothbrush with hard bristles and adopting an aggressive technique can cause gum tissue to erode. This becomes problematic for two reasons, as the tooth structure that sits underneath your gums is not protected by enamel.

This portion of the tooth is called dentin, which is much weaker than enamel. Once this is exposed due to gum recession, your teeth become far more vulnerable to decay.

Gum recession treatment benefits:

• Reverse recession caused by gum disease
• Protect your teeth against the increased risk of cavities, thanks to a gum graft. This provides the delicate dentin underneath your gums with new protection.
• Have a more balanced and aesthetic smile and restored gum-to-tooth ratio.

How Is Gummy Smiles Treatment/Gum Recession Treatment Performed?

There is no better dental professional than a dentist with periodontal training when it comes to treating a gummy smile, or indeed gum recession.

Our resident periodontist, Dr Namrata Sharma, is experienced at performing gum contouring and gum grafts, using minimally invasive surgical techniques.
We use high-spec microscopes and tools that promote fast post-surgery healing. These tools also allow us to make minuscule keyhole-like incisions, giving Dr Namrata an excellent degree of dexterity and accuracy when she performs gum contouring.

Contact Meliora Dental For Smile-Enhancing Periodontal Treatment

Contact our friendly reception team if you’d like to explore the possibility of correcting a gummy smile or gum recession. In many instances, gum recession can go overlooked (it can be hard to spot incremental gum loss). During your routine hygienist appointments at Meliora Dental, your hygienist will keep a close eye on the condition of your gums and any developments that you might not be able to spot at home (gum recession being a common one).