Not Happy With Your Gummy Smile? Laser Dentistry Can Fix It

If you’re unhappy with your gummy smile, you aren’t alone. Research shows that up to 29% of young adults experience gummy smiles today. 

Many of our patients visit our Tenth Street Family Dental office in Indianapolis, Indiana, looking for gummy smile solutions. Our team of elite dentistry specialists believes in getting to know our patients so we can truly understand what they need and want. If you’re currently unhappy with your smile, we won’t be happy until you are. 

Although a gummy smile once required surgery to fix, the field of cosmetic dentistry has evolved rapidly in recent years to give us leading-edge options like laser gum contouring. Our talented team has more than 20 years of specialized training and treatment experience, and we’re the go-to specialists for laser dentistry in Indianapolis. 

Below we discuss gummy smiles and explain how laser dentistry can turn your smile into a stunning, well-proportioned one that fits your face. 

The causes of gummy smiles 

Many cases of gummy smile happen because of something you can’t change: your genetic makeup. If you’re genetically predisposed to growing extra gum tissue, a gummy smile is the likely result. Or, if you inherited small teeth, your smile will naturally look gummy.

However, other factors may play a role. For example, if you have severe gum inflammation, your gums may swell and dominate your smile more than usual. 

Your jaw alignment can contribute to a gummy smile, too. If your upper jaw pushes forward more than it should, it can cause excessive gum show when you smile. 

Wear-and-tear on teeth could also lead to a gummy smile. People who grind their teeth may erode so much tooth surface that their teeth look smaller and their gums suddenly look much bigger. 

Whether your gummy smile is caused by genetics or some other problem, our Tenth Street Family Dental team can help. Depending on the situation, we may recommend orthodontic care, treatment of gum disease, or another type of treatment to solve the underlying problem. 

In most cases, if your gummy smile isn’t caused by serious oral health problems, we can easily treat it through laser gum contouring. 

Laser dentistry can fix your gummy smile 

In laser dentistry, your Tenth Street Family Dental dentist uses a state-of-the-art dental laser to remove extra gum tissue and shape your gums in the way that looks and fits best with your teeth. They start the procedure by using a special marker to designate your new gum line and follow that map to get ideal results.

One of the most impressive benefits of laser gum contouring is that the laser essentially seals gums closed as it works. This means you bleed far less than with traditional gum surgery using a scalpel. And, it leads to faster healing.

Laser dentistry is a gentle approach, so it’s a far more comfortable experience. Many of our patients don’t even need anesthetic injections for their gum contouring procedure. Of course, we always tailor your procedures based on your personal comfort level, so anesthesia is available if you need it. 

If your gums dominate your smile, it might make you want to frown, not grin. We’re here to turn your frown upside down. Phone our office at 317-358-8885,or click our online contact link to set up your laser dentistry consultation today.