Your gums, or the soft periodontal tissue that covers and protects the lower halves of your teeth, are an important component of your oral health. They support your teeth’s roots where they emerge from the gum line, and gum disease is one of the most wide-spread and destructive dental issues today. An uneven gum line also influences your smile’s appearance, making teeth appear less symmetrical than they actually are. Gum contouring and gum disease treatment with your Southlake dentist, Dr. Wright, typically entails the use of a soft-tissue diode laser, which promotes faster healing and increased comfort by causing less collateral tissue damage.
Faster Healing with a Soft-Tissue Laser
A diode laser is specifically calibrated for soft-tissues, enabling Dr. Wright to precisely sculpt excessive gum tissue without using a scalpel. The heat from the concentrated light beam facilitates healing during the procedure, leading to faster overall healing times and a significantly decreased risk of infection. In most cases, Dr. Wright can contour or treat gums in a single visit, reducing the amount of visits required to complete your treatment.
Balancing a Gummy Smile
Abnormal gum tissue can cover too much or not enough of your teeth, making some teeth appear longer or shorter. Common causes of excessive gums, or a gummy smile, include genetics, certain medications, and a number of health conditions. Gum contouring is a cosmetic procedure that reshapes your gum line to more ideally frame your smile. If your gums are low because they’re receding (separating from your teeth), then gum disease is likely the cause, and Dr. Wright may use the laser to eradicate infectious bacteria.
Highly-Effective Gum Disease Treatment
Addressing gum disease involves removing bacteria from underneath your gums so they can heal and reattach to your teeth. A scaling and root planing describes cleaning away germs and smoothing the surfaces of your teeth’s roots to discourage future bacteria buildup. A soft-tissue laser targets the microbes under your gum tissue for a safer, more comfortable procedure, and gums treated with a laser tend to heal and reattach to teeth faster than with conventional gum disease treatment.
About Your Southlake Dentist:
As a native Texan, Dr. Gregory Wright opened his private practice in Southlake, TX in 1992. He is happily accepting new patients from Southlake, Grapevine, Keller, Trophy Club, Colleyville, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Wright, call our office today at (817) 481-7999.
