Although your teeth appear short, they may actually be the proper length. The teeth may be covered with too much gum tissue. We can correct this by performing the periodontal plastic surgery procedure called crown lengthening.
During this procedure, excess gum and bone tissue are reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth. This can be done to more than one tooth, to even your gum line, and to create a beautiful smile.
There are periodontal procedures available to stop or slow down gum recession, and/or to improve the esthetics of your smile.
Exposed roots are the result of gum recession. Your gums may have receded for a variety of reasons, including aggressive tooth brushing, periodontal disease or hereditary factors. You may not be in control of what caused the recession, but a soft tissue graft will repair the defect and help prevent further recession and bone loss.
One procedure is called the Connective Tissue Graft. In this procedure, soft tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth and used to cover exposed root surfaces. This can be done for one or more teeth.
Another procedure is called the Gingival Graft. In this procedure surface gum tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth and transferred to the tooth with gum recession. With this procedure, the root surface is not covered.