Soft Tissue Management

Very few people are aware of how important our soft tissues, or gums, are in acheiving a healthy, esthetic smile.  It is amazing how often a patient's chief complaint about their smile is either partially or totally related to an assymetry of their gums.  Therefore, it is critical to evaluate the soft tissues prior to proceeding with any porcelain crowns or veneers.  Our practice has a significant advantage in that we are located adjacent to a superb periodontal practice.  This allows us to maintain an excellent working relationship and obtain feedback and professional consultations at a moments notice.

Above is a rather extreme example of how the soft tissues can affect a person's smile.  This patient wanted to show more teeth when he smiled.  Our examination revelaed that his `gummy smile' was the result of an overgrowth of tissue and bone.  This overgrowth is correctable with a procedure called crown lengthening.   Following this procedure it became obvious that the patient needed only two porcelain veneers.  His remaining teeth are unrestored, yet appear completely different due to the tissue re-contouring.

Additional cases involving tissue recontouring can be seen in our smile gallery.