When you think of a nice smile, you usually think of nice teeth. For years, the teeth have stolen all of the glory from the gums, receiving total credit from somebody with a mega-watt smile. But for many people, their teeth are straight and white, yet they still feel embarrassed about their smile. People in this situation, often complain that they have a gummy smile or that their gums are “too high” or “too low”.

For these people, they may be candidates for gum reshaping. Cosmetic gum procedures can do amazing things for people’s smiles. For people with teeth that appear too short, a cosmetic gum reshaping procedure can eliminate excess gums to reveal more of the tooth structure so that the teeth appear to be of normal size. On the opposite side, people who have gums that are receding and their teeth appear to look too long, they can have gingival tissue added to their mouths to achieve a more balanced look. This is often referred to as a gum graft procedure.

There are cases where people have teeth that are of normal size, but their gums are overpowering their smile. In this case, a lip repositioning procedure may be appropriate. This involves repositioning the lip to not retract as high up when smiling or talking, so less of the gums are exposed.

As you now understand, having a stunning smile involves much more than perfect teeth. It is largely based on the harmony between the teeth and the gums, the gum line, and a balanced smile.

If you feel your gums may need a little cosmetic correction, please contact Michigan’s cosmetic gum specialist, Dr. Joseph Nemeth at 248-357-3100 for a consultation.