Gum Contouring
Question:
Do you feel it is absolutely necessary
to do gum contouring before front veneers or crowns are applied? Is there
a difference in crown lengthening and gum trimming?
—Sheila from Illinois
Deal Sheila,
Excellent cosmetic dentists always pay attention to the contours of the gums. Sometimes,
if the gums don't show enough of the teeth, or if their contours are uneven, making
one tooth look a lot shorter than the tooth next to it, the gums can make the smile ugly.
Cosmetic dentists will often do gum contouring with a laser or an electrosurgery
instrument or
another similar high-tech device. When the gum tissue is trimmed in this manner,
there is little to no discomfort and rapid healing associated with the procedure.
Crown lengthening is very different from gum contouring. The contouring is done for aesthetic
reasons. The term crown lengthening is usually used to refer to a functional procedure that
is done prior to placing a porcelain crown or another type of crown. Sometimes there isn't
enough tooth structure remaining to adequately hold a crown on the tooth, and so the natural
crown of the tooth is lengthened by removing some of the gum tissue and sometimes the bone
tissue around the neck of the tooth. There are times when crown lengthening is the only practical
alternative to extracting a tooth.
—Dr. Hall
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