Gum Recession
If your teeth appear to be longer than what they usually are, you may have receding gums. Also known as gum recession, receding gums are gums that have pulled away from the surface of the teeth to expose the tooth roots.
What Causes the Gums to Recede?
There are several causes of receding gums that can result in tooth sensitivity or even tooth loss including:
- Periodontal disease: The most common reason for receding gums is periodontal disease. When plaque is left trapped between the teeth and gums, it turns into tartar to irritate the gum tissue. If this tartar is not removed, your gums eventually become red, swell, bleed, and recede.
- Overly aggressive tooth-brushing: Using a medium or hard-bristled toothbrush and/or brushing your teeth too aggressively is traumatic to your gum tissue and can lead to gum recession.
- Genetics: The characteristics of your gums are determined by your genetics, just like the rest of your body is. If your parents have receding gums, you may also have this condition solely due to your genes.
- Misaligned teeth: If you have crooked or misaligned teeth, gum recession can occur due to abnormal bone loss around those teeth.
- Grinding your teeth: The habit of grinding your teeth can cause your gums to recede.
- Poor oral health: Your gums can pull away from the surfaces of your teeth if your overall oral health is less than optimal.
How Receding Gums are Treated
Soft tissue grafts or gum grafts as they’re also called, are commonly used to treat receding gums. Tissue can be taken from an area behind an upper tooth or tissue from a tissue bank can be used to treat the problem. This can be done for one or several teeth to even out your gumline and reduce sensitivity.
Gummy Smiles
When you smile, do you think that your upper teeth are too short because you see quite a bit of gum tissue? Then you may have a condition called excessive gingival display or in simpler terms, a “gummy smile”.
What causes Gummy Smiles?
The most common causes of a gummy smile are:
- Adult teeth that erupt improperly: When the adult ([permanent) teeth erupt abnormally, they can end up being covered by gum tissue to make them look shorter than they actually are.
- A hyperactive upper lip: If the muscle controlling the movement of the upper lip is hyperactive, it can cause the lip to rise higher than usual. This can expose more of the gum tissue when smiling.
- A high lip line: If you have a high lip line, your upper lip moves higher than average when you smile, to expose more gum tissue.
- Improper growth & development of the upper jawbone: If your upper jawbone grew and developed improperly, you could have an excessive bulge protruding from your upper jaw that pushes your gum tissue down over your teeth to cause a gummy smile.
How Gummy Smiles are Treated
The treatment you receive for your gummy smile will depend on what’s causing it and how severe the problem is. When you visit us for gummy smile treatment, Dr. Davis will examine your mouth, teeth, gums, and jaw to determine the extent of the excessive gingival display and any possible causes.
One of the most common gummy smile treatments we offer is a procedure called gum reduction. This treatment involves removing a small strip of gum tissue at the gumline, to allow more of the teeth to show.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
If you’re unhappy with the appearance of your smile because you have receding gums or a gummy smile, we encourage you to request an appointment with us today! During your first visit to our office, Dr. Davis will provide you with an exam and speak with you about your esthetic concerns and goals. He’ll then recommend the most appropriate treatment. We look forward to meeting you soon and helping you feel great about how your smile looks!