Periodontal procedures are available to lay the groundwork for restorative and cosmetic dentistry improve the esthetics of your gum line.

You may have asked your dentist about procedures to improve a “gummy” smile because your teeth appear short . Your teeth may actually be the proper length, but they’re covered with too much gum tissue. To correct this, Dr. Tomlin performs crown lengthening.

During this procedure, excess gum and bone tissue is reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth. This can be done to one tooth, to your gum line, or to several teeth to expose a natural, beautiful smile.

Another cosmetic procedure is the soft tissue graft. It is used to cover unattractive tooth roots, reduce gum recession, and protect the roots from decay and eventual loss. Please see the section on Soft Tissue Grafts

Tooth loss causes the jawbone to recede and can lead to an unnatural looking indentation in your gums and jaw, an appearance of general aging. The original look of your mouth may not be recaptured because of spaces remaining under and between replacement teeth. They may appear too long compared to nearby teeth.

Bone and/or tissue grafting following tooth loss can preserve or restore the ridge and minimize gum and bone collapse. There is less shrinkage and a more esthetic tooth replacement for either an implant crown or fixed bridge around the replacement teeth.