Perio Plastic Surgery
Many of the procedures involving the gum and bone can be considered plastic surgery. Perio plastic surgery can improve many different situations such as:
- Gummy smiles - when an abnormal amount of gum tissue shows when someone smiles. This is usually corrected with crown lengthening.
- Uneven gum tissue height - this is usually corrected with crown lengthening.
- Missing teeth - this can be corrected with fixed bridges or with implants.
- Defects in the bone - when tooth loss occurs there is typically a loss of the bone that surrounded the lost tooth. The resulting defect can be treated to return the bone to its previous state. This treatment is known as ridge augmentation.
- Combination therapy - when just the periodontal procedures are insufficient, restorative procedures are needed to obtain the proper alignment, shape, and color of the teeth.
Please see the Periodontal Gallery for the types of results that can be accomplished with periodontal plastic surgery.
Goichi Shiotsu, DDS, PS