What is Gum Contouring?

Gum contouring, or gingivectomy, improves the look of your gums, your teeth, and your smile. It’s used to reshape your gums as either a cosmetic procedure or for health reasons.

Why you should consider gum contouring 

There are a few reasons people opt to have gums cosmetically contoured:

• Gum tissue covers too much of your teeth resulting in gummy smiles.
• Correction to a noticeably asymmetrical gumline. A gingivectomy provides a more aesthetically pleasing smile.
• Gums have receded due by periodontal disease. There are medical benefits to restoring and lengthening gums, including the prevention of future tooth loss

How is gum contouring done?

Whether you’re interested in gum contouring for cosmetic or oral health reasons, the procedures are the same. When exposing more of the tooth and evening out gumlines, Dr. Frahm recontours the gumline to create a more attractive smile. To correct a receding gumline, tissue is added to your gums. 

Procedures for gum contouring

Gum reshaping is done with a diode laser to sculpt your gums into the desired shape. From a holistic dentistry standpoint, lasers are considerably more favorable to a patient’s overall well-being. They are less invasive and result in minimal downtime and less discomfort than procedures using scalpels. 

Dr. Frahm performs laser gum contouring for a few important reasons:

• Precision results in less pain. High precision lasers are less damaging than scalpels in gum contouring. Lasers also cauterize and seal tissue as they cut, resulting in less discomfort. In addition, lasers minimize swelling which reduces the risk of infection
• Short procedure. Laser gum contouring takes only about an hour, and the results are immediately visible.
• Faster recovery. Because lasers cauterize while they work, sutures aren’t usually required. And cauterization also results shorter recovery times. 

If your gums rest too low or too high on your teeth and you would like to permanently improve your smile, you may be a candidate for gum contouring treatment. Contact Dr. Frahm today at 831-372-8011. Our office is conveniently located at 660 Camino Aguajito #201 in Monterey, CA 93940.