Periodontal Plastic Surgery

Esthetic Crown Lengthening

Periodontal plastic surgery is performed to lay the groundwork for restorative and cosmetic dentistry including crowns, bridges and veneers, in order to improve the look of the gum line. If your teeth look short, or if you have a “gummy” smile, you can dramatically improve your smile in as little as an hour through a procedure called esthetic crown lengthening, known as a “gum lift”. During this procedure, excess gum and bone tissue is reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth. This can be done to one tooth, or to several teeth to even your gum line, and expose a wider and more beautiful smile.

Functional Crown Lengthening

Your dentist or periodontist may also recommend crown lengthening to make a restorative or cosmetic dental procedure possible. Perhaps your tooth is decayed, broken below the gum line, or has insufficient tooth structure for a restoration, such as a crown or bridge. Crown lengthening adjusts the gum and bone level to expose more of the tooth so it can be properly restored.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

When teeth are decayed or broken down close to or below the gum line, they can often be saved through functional crown lengthening which can expose more of the tooth so your dentist can repair it with a crown or new restoration. Whether you have crown lengthening to improve function or esthetics, you will receive the benefits of both a beautiful smile and improved periodontal health.

Root Recession Repair (subepithelial connective tissue graft)

Gum recession is the result of movement of the gum line down the root of a tooth. Gum recession occurs as a result of bone loss around the tooth. This recession can be localized to one particular tooth, or generalized in the mouth. Common symptoms can vary from no symptoms at all to tooth sensitivity, inflammation of the tissue, root exposure and cavity development, to esthetic concerns. Today, root recessions are easily repaired with simple tissue graft procedures.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

Gum tissue is the primary barrier to bacteria which have the potential to create infections inside the mouth. Without adequate attached gum tissue around your teeth, gum disease can ensue leading to infections, gum and bone deterioration and even tooth loss. Tissue graft surgery builds the gum back to help you keep your teeth longer.

Frenectomy

A frenectomy surgically repositions the frenum in the mouth. A frenum is a fold of tissue that passes from the movable lip or cheek to the gum. There are multiple frenums within the mouth, the most prominent being the ones in the front of the upper and lower teeth. When a frenum is positioned in such a way as to interfere with the normal alignment of teeth or results in pulling away of the gum from the tooth surface causing recession, they require repositioning with a simple, single surgical procedure.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

Frenectomies are simple procedures that when necessary help promote long term health of the gums and teeth. They can also prevent orthodontic tooth relapse following orthodontic treatment.

Mucogingival Surgery

When recession of the gum occurs, the body loses a natural defense against both bacterial penetration and trauma. When gum recession is a problem gum reconstruction using tissue grafts are often necessary. When there is only minor recession, some healthy gum often remains and protects the tooth, so that often no treatment other than modifying home care practices is necessary. However, when recession is advanced or reaches the mucosa (the movable gum tissue attached to the lips and cheeks), the first line of defense against bacterial penetration is lost. Tissue grafts are performed to solve these problems. A thin piece of tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth, or gently moved over from adjacent areas, to provide a stable band of attached gum around the tooth. The gingival graft may be placed in such a way as to either cover the jaw only or cover the exposed portion of the root, as well. In contrast to root recession repair the primary objective of this procedure is to gain firm gum tissue around the teeth for better protection against gum disease. A free gingival graft in comparison to a connective tissue graft is often performed when root coverage is not possible or predictable