Periodontist - Brooklyn
2272 Hendrickson Street
Brooklyn, NY 11234
(718) 253-3333

Periodontal Plastic Surgery

Periodontal plastic surgery, or mucogingival surgery, involves the management of gingival deficits and deformities that may be preventing you from having the smile you always wanted. Among these are:

• A "gummy" smile
• Uneven gum line due to "short" teeth or receding gums ("long" teeth)
• Lost or "collapsed" gums due to missing teeth
• "Black holes" between your teeth, crowns, bridges, or implants
• The exposure of unerupted teeth

Because the presence of these conditions causes not only cosmetic concerns, such as "long" teeth and "black holes" between teeth and bridges, but also dental health concerns, like progressive gingival (gum) irritation Periodontal Plastic Procedures

Periodontal plastic procedures can give you a perfect smile and boost your confidence so you can be at your best.

"After periodontal plastic surgery, everyone told me I was more approachable. I now have an inner confidence that everyone can see through my smile." -Deborah Wolf, Bellevue, WA

Cosmetic surgery has become more popular than ever before especially now that more Americans are living longer and aging more gracefully with the help of plastic surgery. Periodontal plastic surgery has also felt this trend as it has experienced a significant shift toward cosmetic-related surgery to help make smiles last a lifetime.

A recent poll of 253 consumers conducted by the American Academy of Periodontology found the following:

* 50 percent consider the smile the first facial feature they notice
* 80 percent are not happy with their smile
* Respondents were seven times more likely to have periodontal, smile enhancement procedures, than face-lifts
* Smile enhancement procedures outnumbered eyelid surgeries five to one

Gummy Smile or Uneven Gum Line

Do you feel your teeth look too short and your smile is too gummy or your gums cover too much of some teeth while leaving the others the right length? If so crown lengthening might be the solution for you. During this procedure, excess gum tissue is removed to expose more of the crown of the tooth. Then your gumline is sculpted to give your new smile just the right look.

Long Teeth/Exposed Roots

Do you feel you look older than you really are? Sometimes gum recession causes the tooth root to become exposed, which makes your teeth look long and can make you look older than you are. This recession can happen as a result of a variety of causes, including periodontal diseases. Whatever the reason, exposed roots are unappealing and can leave you at risk of developing cavities on your tooth root.

Soft tissue grafts and other root coverage procedures are designed to cover exposed roots, to reduce further gum recession and to protect vulnerable roots from decay.