Removing gum only
Where there is already a suitable gap above the bone, the excess gum can be reshaped with a laser or another fine instrument.
- Uncovers crown hidden by tissue.
- Leaves bone in place.
- Intended for a contained change.
A label for a look, not an answer.
Gum Contouring for Whyte Ridge Residents
Gummy is how most of us would describe a smile that shows a lot of gum. It is a fair word for the appearance, but it says nothing about why. Whyte Ridge residents who want to get past the label can have the reasons explored by the dentist at our McPhillips Street clinic in Winnipeg.
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Description versus diagnosis
Same Appearance, Different Reasons
Two smiles can look equally gummy for completely different reasons. In one, gum still covers part of each crown. In another, the teeth have worn shorter. A third person may have a lip that lifts high, and a fourth a jaw relationship that puts more gum on view. Only some of these respond to removing tissue.
Whyte Ridge is in Winnipeg, and residents are assessed for this at our clinic on McPhillips Street. Contouring is considered only when the cause and the anatomy support moving or removing gum safely.
Explore gum contouring
Gum covering tooth
Natural crown can remain partly hidden after the teeth have come in.
Teeth that lost length
Wear changes proportion so gum looks larger without any extra tissue.
Lip and jaw
Movement of the lip, or skeletal position, can raise gum display on their own.
When extra gum is the reason
Then reshaping becomes an option.
If the assessment confirms that tissue is covering more tooth than it should, the bone position decides how the gum would be moved.
Crown lengthening
If bone sits too close to the edge being planned, the dentist opens the tissue, may adjust bone, and secures the gum at the new margin.
- Needed when bone limits the change.
- Supports a healthy, cleanable edge.
- Surgical, with more healing involved.
If the cause turns out to be lip movement, tooth wear or jaw position, ask what that means for you, because gum work may not be the answer.
Working out the why
How the cause is narrowed down.
The assessment moves from what you see toward what is causing it, one factor at a time.
Request your visit- 01
Smile at rest and in motion
Photos show how far your lip rises and how much gum appears as a result.
- 02
Tooth length and wear
The teeth are checked for wear that may have shortened them.
- 03
Gum over enamel
Locating the enamel boundary shows whether gum is still covering natural crown.
- 04
Tissue and bone
Even when extra gum is confirmed, its thickness and the depth of bone beneath still have to be known, by sounding or imaging if needed.
Useful observations
Look at when the gum shows most.
A few honest observations help the dentist. Notice whether gum shows when you are relaxed, only when you laugh, or all the time, and whether your teeth seem shorter than they once did.
Tell the dentist about tender or bleeding gums. Any health problem is treated before cosmetic reshaping.
Clues worth jotting down
- Photos of your smile at different moments.
- Whether the look has always been there or developed later.
- Any grinding or wear you are aware of.
- Current medications and your general health.
A light blue dental chair by the cabinets, and black chairs around a consultation table.
Once gum is the confirmed cause
Comfort during and after.
Should you decide to proceed, the first thing on the day is freezing, then the dentist follows the line drawn on your gum. A couple of teeth in soft tissue usually ask less of you afterward than a wider area with bone work.
Numbed first
No reshaping begins until the area is comfortable.
Recovery that matches the work
Soft-tissue changes alone often heal with less tenderness than crown lengthening.
Instructions provided
Personal directions and comfort measures go home with you.
The weeks after
Early looks can mislead.
Having waited to find the cause, give the result the same patience. A puffy, reddened or ragged edge is ordinary in the first stage, and the outline worth judging arrives once the gum has matured.
01
Gentle with the area
Your sheet of directions covers food, rinsing, brushing and any medicine, so lean on it rather than guesswork.
02
Return for review
On your return the dentist confirms the gum is closing, sees whether plaque is building up and removes stitches if there are any.
03
Restorations later
If veneers or crowns are planned, they wait until the margin has matured.
Call (204) 338-3003 if something about healing worries you, rather than submitting the form.
Talk with our team
Winnipeg North Dental
Unit-5 2358 Mcphillips Street, Winnipeg, MB R2V 4J6Get directions (opens in a new tab)Getting the answer
Whyte Ridge Patients Find the Cause on McPhillips Street
The assessment and any contouring take place at Winnipeg North Dental, Unit 5, 2358 McPhillips Street, Winnipeg.
The online form is for requests, not bookings. The clinic reaches out before your time is fixed.
Questions about coverage?
Talk with our team before your visit or learn about CDCP.
A little clarity before your visit
Your questions, answered.
Helpful details about gum contouring in Whyte Ridge.
Ask our teamIs a gummy smile a dental condition?
Not in itself. It describes how a smile looks. The assessment looks for the cause, which could be the gum, the teeth, the lip or the jaw.
Can more than one reason apply to me?
Quite often. A smile may combine gum covering the teeth with a lip that lifts high, for example, so each is checked.
What if my teeth have just worn down?
Then there may be no extra gum to remove. Other options that address the tooth itself may be worth discussing.
Is laser reshaping the answer for every gummy look?
Only if gum tissue is the cause and the anatomy suits soft-tissue reshaping. A laser is one instrument among others, not a cure-all.
Will contouring make my teeth look too long?
Planning against tooth width and smile proportion aims to avoid that. You can ask how each margin was chosen.
Could the gum go back to how it was?
It can drift back if the new edge is set without regard for the bone. That is why the gap between them is measured before any line is drawn.
Where can a Whyte Ridge resident have the cause assessed?
The cause is worked out during an assessment at our McPhillips Street clinic in Winnipeg. Request a visit by calling (204) 338-3003 or sending the form.
Depending on the cause
Other routes worth knowing.
When the tooth, rather than the gum, explains the look, one of these may come into the discussion.
Dental Bonding
Learn how dental bonding in Winnipeg uses tooth-coloured resin to repair small chips, close minor spaces and refine tooth shape, often in one visit.
Explore serviceVeneers
Considering cosmetic veneers in Winnipeg? Learn which colour, shape, spacing and symmetry concerns they may address and what planning involves.
Explore serviceInvisalign
Explore Invisalign treatment in Winnipeg for straightening teeth with removable clear aligners, including candidacy, daily wear, refinements and retainers.
Explore serviceHave an urgent concern? Call (204) 338-3003 to discuss availability.
Go beyond the label
Find out why your gum shows.
Send Winnipeg North Dental a request to look into the reason behind your smile’s gum display. The clinic will reply to arrange your assessment.