Problems with your smile affect your mental and emotional state, causing self-confidence and self-image issues. Many factors may lead to people become unhappy with their smiles. They may have what some refer to as a “gummy” smile, or they may have crooked, damaged, discolored or missing teeth.

Gummy Smiles

While not a dental term, a “gummy” smile is one in which there exists a ratio imbalance between the gums to teeth, giving the smile a sinister appearance. If you’re someone suffering from a gummy smile, or are displeased with your smile for any reason, Serenity International Dental Center can help. Using periodontal care, our staff can resolve your issues and restore your confidence with a natural-looking, healthy smile.

To the human eye, the ideal amount of gum exposure in a smile is less than two millimeters. Some research suggests that people start to notice beyond two millimeters, and at four millimeters, they find the gums to be aesthetically displeasing. At the four millimeter mark, you definitely have a gummy smile.

Treatment Options for Imbalanced Smiles

New techniques in periodontal care have made treatment of a gummy smile easier than ever. The treatment plan depends on the root cause of your issue, and most treatments are relatively quick and painless. Your options include:

• Crown Lengthening: If the gummy smile stems from an abnormal eruption of the teeth from the gums, crown lengthening is your best choice. In this procedure we will remove part of your gum and bone to expose more of your teeth, and create a more aesthetically pleasing ratio of tooth to gum in your smile. The process utilizes laser re-contouring for incredible precision and offers a fast recovery. As long as the re-contouring only requires minor laser work, the procedure can often be done the same day as your appointment.
• Porcelain Veneers: In some cases a crown lengthening will not reveal enough of your teeth to give you the appearance you want, so we must artificially lengthen your teeth. Porcelain veneers fit over the existing teeth and they are constructed to be indistinguishable from the natural teeth.

Crooked, Damaged, Discolored or Missing Teeth

Many people suffer from crooked, damaged or missing teeth. The cause may be genetic or from an injury to the mouth or even lack of proper oral hygiene. Whatever the reason for your dissatisfaction with your smile, Serenity International Dental Center can resolve your issues and restore your confidence.

Treatments for crooked, damaged, discolored or missing teeth

Depending on the issue(s) causing your dissatisfaction with your smile, the following treatment options are available. In some cases, a combination of treatments will produce the best results.

• Traditional braces: Crooked teeth can be straightened using this longstanding and proven dental treatment.
• Invisalign braces: Another method for straightening teeth, Invisalign braces are virtually invisible in the mouth. Clear plastic trays are worn over the teeth to gradually move them into place and may be removed by the wearer for eating and cleaning.
• Dental Implants: Used to replace missing teeth, dental implants are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth and function just the same.
• Dentures: In cases where there are several missing or damaged teeth, dentures – or false teeth – may be the best option to fix a smile. They can be partial, replacing a few teeth, or can be used to replace the entire upper or lower rows of teeth, or both rows.
• Whitening: Over time, teeth can become discolored and dull. Professional whitening can brighten and whiten any smile.

At Serenity International Dental Center, we strive to bring confidence and happiness to our patients by delivering a smile they can be proud to show the world. Contact us to learn more about our periodontal care, or to schedule an appointment to fix your gummy smile or other smile issues today.