The appearance of your teeth and gums can greatly affect your self-confidence because when you meet people, talk to friends or go out with your family, you want to feel able to smile without feeling self-conscious. If you have sharp, uneven, broken or overlapping teeth, or prominent or receding gums, you may be considering having them treated to improve their appearance and boost your self-esteem.
Tooth and gum contouring is available at our dental practice in Kingston upon Thames where our experienced and highly skilled dentists can advise you as to what treatments will best suit your particular circumstances. Please use our contact form to get in touch and we will arrange a consultation to discuss your needs. Tooth and gum contouring are just two options out of a range of cosmetic treatments we offer and these are described below so that you may feel more informed about the choices available.
Tooth contouring
Tooth contouring or reshaping can be used to correct overlapping, crooked, chipped or cracked teeth. It can also be used to improve your bite. By removing unevenness, tooth contouring can also reduce the risk of tartar build-up in hard-to-reach areas.
The affected teeth may need to be slightly re-shaped or slightly enhanced using specialist resins and their length, position and shape can all be cosmetically altered. Even slight changes can make a huge difference to the appearance of your smile, but if we feel that the areas to be worked on are too large for tooth contouring to be a viable option for you then we may recommend other treatments (such as dental crowns or veneers).
Tooth contouring can be undertaken in as little time as a single appointment session and can all be carried out by us here at our practice, rather than having to use external laboratories to manufacture any fittings. This makes this treatment highly cost-effective compared to some other types of treatment. Tooth contouring can also be used as an alternative to fitting braces if only subtle changes are required.
To carry out tooth contouring, we will usually take x-rays to ensure that your teeth are strong and healthy enough to support the procedure. A local anaesthetic is not normally required as the work is carried out to the surface of your teeth away from the nerves.
Tooth contouring may be used in conjunction with orthodontics, tooth whitening, tooth bonding and veneers to perfect the appearance of your teeth.
Gum treatments
Your gum health is of vital importance – not only to your teeth but to your overall health, too, since gum disease has been linked to heart disease. Yet problems with gums are not limited to gum disease: for many people, the cosmetic appearance of their gums is a source of great unhappiness.
We offer gum treatments that can greatly improve the appearance of your gums, giving you greater self-confidence.
Perhaps you feel that your gums cover too much of your teeth, making your teeth appear short and giving you a ‘gummy smile’? This may be something you were born with, or it may have been caused by medication or a health condition. Whatever the cause, our gum contouring service can improve your smile.
Gum contouring involves re-shaping the gum quickly and painlessly. You will be given a local anaesthetic to numb the area whilst we work to trim and shape your gum with aesthetically pleasing results. You will not need stitches and your gums will heal quickly, though you may feel sore initially (paracetamol and ibuprofen are usually recommended).
Gum contouring can be completed within one appointment and is cost-effective. It may be used in conjunction with dental crowns or veneers, depending on the appearance and quality of your teeth beneath the gum.
Receding gums
If your gums have begun to shrink so that more of your teeth have become exposed, this is known as receding gums. Receding gums can lead to teeth sensitivity or even teeth being lost as they are held less securely in your mouth. There are a number of possible causes for receding gums, relating to your health or lifestyle, but the condition can be treated by scale and polish treatment or, if the problem has become significant, cosmetic correction.
One of our dentists can carry out work to improve the appearance and health of your gums. If this type of treatment is necessary, we will discuss all of your options with you in detail before any decisions are made.
If you feel that your smile would benefit from some tooth or gum treatment, please use our contact form and we will arrange to speak with you about your dental needs and how we can help.