Everyone wants to have a prefect smile to look and feel good. However, many of us are also dissatisfied with our smile because of some oral problems related to teeth, gum line, and facial injuries. Cosmetic or plastic periodontal surgery is performed to provide the patient with a more beautiful smile by correcting an uneven gum line and problems with missing teeth and restorative procedures like crowns and bridges.
There are three types of cosmetic periodontal surgery: cosmetic crown lengthening, cosmetic ridge augmentation, and connective tissue grafting. Different problems related to gums are addressed by each of these methods to make the person undergoing treatment more satisfied with their smile and appearance.
A gummy smile can be addressed by the surgical procedure known as crown lengthening. The outline of the gum tissue is altered in order to expose more tooth structure. Sometimes this type of treatment is also required in restorative dentistry for making enough room for the crowns to be positioned properly. With this surgery, not only the appearance of the gums improves but also chances of developing periodontal disease are reduced. Moreover, the person feels more comfortable with their smile and finds it easy to speak, chew and eat.
The cosmetic surgical procedure of ridge augmentation is used to correct uneven gum margins due to a lost tooth. Normally when a tooth is removed, the gum surrounding the bone collapses and forms an indentation which affects the patient’s smile. This procedure can be considered the opposite of crown lengthening because in such a treatment the gum tissue is increased to make the new tooth look more attractive and natural. It is recommended to undergo this surgical procedure before new tooth replacements are made. Bone loss can also be prevented when a tooth is removed or lost by using some other treatments such as bone grafting.
Soft tissue grafting or subepithelial connective tissue grafting is performed to prevent gum recession and to protect uncovered root surfaces. It is also known as gum reconstruction in which a layer of healthy tissue is removed from some other location and placed over the site of gum recession. This procedure is required to protect the tooth and the root from being exposed. The gum tissues surrounding the bone not only shield our teeth from cold but also make them appear more pleasing to the eye. Soft tissue grafting is one of the treatments which are provided as gingival grafts. Some others include acellular dermal matrix, free gingival graft, and pedical graft.
If you are facing problems like excessive gingival display, gingival or gum recession, and trouble of the interdental papilla or the tissue between the teeth, you may be a candidate for one of the above-mentioned cosmetic periodontal procedures. They are surgical procedures because they involve putting the patient to sleep and the use of stitches in order to address a gummy smile or a recessed gum line. The treatments not only help to improve a person’s smile but are also required to protect the sensitive areas and to prevent further complications.
