When we think of cosmetic dentistry, we usually think about teeth whitening, veneers, and braces, yet there is a lot more that a Cosmetic Dentist in The Woodlands like a dentist at Adventure-Smiles.com can do for you to improve the appearance of your smile. In fact, some cosmetic dentistry isn’t even performed on the teeth at all, but treats the gums instead.
If it appears that too much of a patient’s teeth are showing, or that the teeth are getting bigger, it may be that their gums have receded, which is called gingival recession. There are quite a few factors that can cause gingival recession. It may be hereditary. It may be caused from excessive vomiting if the patient has an eating disorder. Lip and tongue piercings may damage the gum line. Overcrowded teeth, or tooth movement from wearing braces as an adult can make the gums recede. The use of dipping tobacco, of aggressively brushing the teeth back and forth, or grinding the teeth can all affect the gums. These conditions can be treated by a periodontist or a Cosmetic Dentist in The Woodlands.
For receding gums, the Cosmetic Dentist in The Woodlands may do a procedure called a gingival graft, or a gum graft. This is actually not just done for cosmetic reasons, but for dental health as well. When too much of the gum line recedes, then the gums are not protecting the roots of the teeth. The exposed tooth roots can be very uncomfortable and even painful when the teeth become exposed to hot or cold foods or liquids. It also exposes more tooth surface that can become infected with bacteria that cause cavities.
There are several different surgical graft procedures that can be done, but they all involve the Cosmetic Dentist in The Woodlands taking a tissue graft from the palate area and stitching it to the gum line. The palate should heal just fine after the tissue is removed. In another procedure, the patient’s gum tissue from another area in the mouth can be used, rather than taking it from the palate. Another option is to use palate tissue from a donor.
