A lifetime of crunching, gnawing, and grinding can erode the outer layer of enamel and flatten biting edges, especially on your molars. All your teeth are subject to decay and trauma, even if you follow good oral hygiene. Some problems can be genetic and impact younger people, such as “gummy” smiles. While it is more prevalent among adults, periodontal disease can impact people of all ages and cause receding gums, loose teeth, and deterioration of the jawbone. In fact, gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among older adults. At Columbia Center for Implants & Periodontics, we believe everyone deserves an attractive smile along with all its benefits. It is our mission to help you restore yours with treatments including crown lengthening in Columbia, MD!
At Columbia Center for Implants & Periodontics, we believe everyone deserves an attractive smile along with all its benefits.
Crown lengthening is usually performed under local anesthetic and involves a series of small incisions around the tissue to separate gums from your teeth. Even if only one tooth requires the procedure, it is usually necessary to adjust the surrounding teeth to enable more even reshaping. In some cases, recontouring of a small amount of bone is also required. Crown lengthening is performed to fix gummy smiles, but is also sometimes done to expose an adequate amount of a natural tooth to properly place a restoration. In such cases, this procedure ensures an optimal fit for your crown and allows you to clean the edge of the restoration when brushing and flossing to help prevent decay and gum disease.
A “gummy smile” is the term used for the appearance of teeth covered by excess gum tissue. Many individuals with gummy smiles are embarrassed to smile and this can impact their quality of life, therefore, it isn’t surprising excessive gum tissue is a common complaint among patients seeking cosmetic dentistry. Gummy smile treatment in Columbia, MD involves reshaping or recontouring the gum tissue and bone around the tooth to create a balanced gum-to-tooth relationship. In addition to crown lengthening, a gingivectomy is another option for removing gum tissue to help improve overall smile symmetry and tooth-to-gum ratio and reduce excess tissue that may be prone to infection.
Botulinum toxin has been used effectively and safely for a variety of disorders ranging from pain management to the improvement of the appearance of dynamic facial wrinkles. It affects and blocks the transmitters between the motor nerves that innervate the muscle without a loss of sensory feeling. In dentistry, low dose-Botox is administered to alleviate pain associated with temporomandibular joint disorder and minimize muscle contractions associated with bruxism (tooth grinding or clenching). Some studies suggest Botox is a promising treatment for patients with bruxism undergoing full mouth rehab with immediate load dental implants. In patients with missing teeth, lip muscles can become repositioned due to decreased vertical dimension, resulting in ill-fitting dentures. Botox can relax and retrain the muscles around new dentures to make the transition to wearing them more successful. In addition, Botox can be a beneficial treatment in patients with a high lip line and gummy smiles because it helps relax lip muscles and results in a lower, more aesthetically-pleasing smile.
In dentistry, facial contouring with injectable dermal fillers such as hyaluronic acid can be a complementary finishing touch to obtain volume correction and improve shape and facial asymmetries. This minimally invasive treatment can be effective after full mouth dental implants to improve the structure of your smile. If you feel that sagging skin, thin lips, creases in your cheeks, or wrinkles by your eyes or on your forehead are diminishing your beautiful smile, dermal fillers in Columbia, MD can address these issues.