Three Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Decide On A Gum Lift

Posted on: 20 October 2015

A gum lift is a cosmetic dental procedure where a dentist cuts the leading edges of a thick and long gum line from your teeth to improve the appearance of your smile. While the procedure is fairly complicated and generally not covered by dental insurance, it's often the most efficient way to make your facial expressions appear more natural and attractive. But before you act on your decision to get a gum lift, make sure to ask yourself these three questions.

Are my teeth as white as I can get them?

With a part of your gum line removed, both the color and texture of your teeth will be more conspicuous when you open your mouth. While this isn't such a big deal if your teeth are white as a piece of paper, the overall effect of the procedure will be diminished if a set of yellow teeth is all that you're drawing attention to. Additionally, since the enamel sections exposed by the gum lift didn't have to endure a constant barrage of food, you could be setting yourself up for a sharp and unappealing contrast between white and yellow tooth sections.

If your teeth are only slightly discolored, you can avert this problem by using an over-the-counter teeth bleaching product. But if the damage is more serious, consider getting your teeth professionally whitened before you go through with the gum lift.

Do I have a history of oral infections?

In the days and weeks after the procedure, you'll have to deal with periodic bleeding from your gum line and random pain spasms in the nerves connected to your teeth. More importantly, however, you'll also be at an increased risk of getting an infection until your gums have a chance to heal and adapt to their new borders.

Consider both your overall health and your personal history of oral infections to decide whether this vulnerability is likely to lead to a problem. If you think your risk of infection is unusually high and you don't want to deal with an unexpected break from work, either postpone your gum lift until you can better deal with getting sick or give up the idea entirely.

How straight do my teeth look when I smile?

One saving grace of an abnormally long gum line is its ability to partially obscure a set of teeth that doesn't look very straight. If some of your teeth are crooked and you're concerned about how your smile will look after the procedure, get your dentist to show you an X-ray of your mouth with the final planned gum line borders clearly signified with a marker. To find our more, speak with someone like Artistic Dentistry by Gerard Wasselle, DMD.

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When my three children were young, they were all excited to go to the dentist. The dentist's office was great fun with a large fish tank and a variety of puzzle toys in the waiting room. I liked the pediatric dental office so much that I jumped at the chance when I was offered a receptionist job. Many of the children who came to see the dentist were not nearly as happy as my children. Most kids were scared and anxious, and I learned fairly quickly that the children were worried because they had no idea what to expect. The dentist at the office provided me with a set of dental tools that I could show to the children. I explained how each of the devices worked. This eased the fears, and I started this blog so parents could share dental information with their children before dental visits.

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