Gum Lift & Contouring: How it Should be Done

What is a gum lift?

A gum lift, or gingival contouring is a procedure we use to improve the appearance of your smile by creating symmetry and/or by reducing the severity of a gummy smile. When too much gum tissue grows down covering the teeth, the smile appearance becomes too gummy and the teeth appear too small. This often happens while wearing braces, or because of hormone changes, or as a side effect of some medications.

Using a gentle diode laser, Atlanta cosmetic dentist Dr. Boulden or Dr. Estep will “sculpt” the gum level to remove the “gummy” part and “reshape” the smile. The result is a much bigger, whiter, and more gorgeous smile. This procedure is also very often used in combination with a smile makeover using porcelain veneers.

The gum lift helps to ensure symmetry and smoothness to the overall smile result.

Are there limitations to gum lift or gingival contouring?

The limitations in this procedure have to do with just how much sculpting we can do with our laser. There is a certain amount of gingival area (gums) that you have to have around your teeth in order to have a healthy tooth-gum architecture. This amount or measurement is called the “biologic width.” If you have a gummy smile that can not be improved with the laser alone, there are other options available for you to reduce your gummy smile.

The best way to find out if we can fix your gummy smile is to schedule a consultation appointment with our team. At this appointment we will take digital photos of your teeth and smile and review them with you. We will also make some measurements of your gums to find out how we can best achieve the results you desire. Some of our most dramatic and beautiful Atlanta Dental Spa smile results are accomplished with this simple, conservative and gentle procedure. Our experience with this and all leading-edge cosmetic procedures has helped Atlanta Dental Spa win many awards and earn national recognition for cosmetic excellence.

Top Atlanta Dentists Dr. Peter Boulden, Dr. Susan Estep, Dr. Rich Creasman, Dr. Andrew Soulimiotis and Dr. Dana Brockington strive to offer exceptional customer satisfaction. That's why we encourage you to call our office anytime so we can help you answer all of your dental questions.

For a consultation with our team of EXPERTS, contact us today or call us at (770) 998-3838. Consultation fees will be credited toward any future treatment