Is Gum Contouring Painful?
The short and direct answer is that gum contouring or gum reshaping is not a painful procedure. Let us look first at why you might consider this dental procedure, the actual procedure itself, and when you might expect some discomfort throughout the entire experience.
A Simple Cosmetic Correction of a Gummy Smile
A smile can easily define an individual. A smile can be a basic, foundational element of an individual’s mental health, having a major impact on both the self-confidence and self-esteem of that person. A smile is always envisioned as a mouthful of pearly white teeth. Often, though, an individual will have more soft gum tissue visible than the actual crowns of the teeth. This negative perception can quickly make your teeth look short and stubby. The standard for a perfect smile is having two to three millimeters of soft tissue showing. If the visual amount of gum tissue increases to four millimeters or more, you present an imbalance of gum to tooth. There is nothing functionally wrong with your teeth, just the negative perception it is creating. Therefore, the corrective gum contouring procedure is cosmetic in nature.
The Gum Contouring Procedure
There is no pain experienced during the procedure itself. Whether the dental tool used is a dental laser or a surgical scalpel, the soft tissue involved will be completely numbed with a local anesthetic prior to the start. The procedure is nothing more than trimming away the excessive tissue to expose more of each tooth involved. Sometimes gum contouring can have medical implications if there is either gum disease or pockets around the teeth to be removed.
The Healing and Recovery Process
If you were to feel any discomfort or minor pain, it would be after the procedure. Your gums might be sore and swollen, and the extent of the discomfort will be related to the amount of tissue removed and your pain threshold. The discomfort will diminish in a few days, with full healing within ten days. Over-the-counter pain relievers should be sufficient to control the discomfort. A saline rinse will help improve your healing as well. You will be instructed to refrain from smoking or consuming alcohol and to concentrate on a diet of soft foods. You will also be given instructions regarding brushing your teeth and gums during the healing period.
The Benefits of Gum Contouring
As mentioned earlier, your smile is an asset you own, and your smile defines your personality. Your smile is an asset that is exceedingly difficult to put a dollar sign on when it comes to identifying its value. The change with this procedure is immediate. The change in your smile is obvious, and the perception that comes with it. The health industry strongly encourages you to continue to value your smile moving forward. The established standard is to brush your teeth twice a day and to floss at least once. Then you take your established at-home oral hygiene habits and complement them with examinations twice a year with your dentist, completing your care with professional cleaning each time. Your smile will continue to light up rooms as you enter.