Gum contouring reshapes an uneven or overly gummy smile by removing excess tissue, revealing more of your natural teeth. At Eternal Dentistry, it’s a straightforward, low-downtime procedure with results that most patients see right away.
Sometimes your teeth aren’t the problem; it’s how much gum shows above them. A “gummy smile” or an uneven gum line can make teeth look shorter or less proportional than they actually are. Gum contouring addresses that directly, and it’s one of the cosmetic dentistry treatments we offer at Eternal Dentistry to help bring balance back to your smile.
Before any cosmetic reshaping begins, your gums need to be healthy. According to the Cleveland Clinic, gum contouring shouldn’t be performed if you have existing decay or gum disease, so those issues should be addressed first to protect your results long-term.
After numbing the area, we remove excess gum tissue and reshape your gumline to create a more even, proportional look. Most procedures take one to two hours, depending on how many teeth are involved, and many patients see a noticeable difference right away.
Gum contouring is a relatively quick procedure with a short recovery window for most patients. Here’s what that typically looks like:
Reshaping your gumline is a permanent change, which means getting the proportions right the first time matters.
Our team takes the time to plan your new gumline with your full smile and facial structure in mind. Dr. Syed Ahsan Raza approaches gum contouring the same way he does every cosmetic treatment, with an honest conversation about your goals before any tissue is touched.
Many patients pair gum contouring with another cosmetic treatment to complete the look they’re after, since a more balanced gumline often highlights other changes even more.
Have questions about gum contouring at Eternal Dentistry? Here are answers to the questions patients ask most often.
The area is numbed with local anesthesia during the procedure, so you shouldn’t feel pain. Some mild soreness afterward is normal and manageable with over-the-counter medication.
In most cases, yes. In rare cases, gum tissue can grow back, which we’ll discuss with you based on your specific case.
Most patients return to normal activities within a day or two, with full healing typically taking about a week.
Cosmetic gum contouring is typically not covered by insurance, though cases tied to a health concern may be treated differently. We can walk through your options.
