About one out of four people say their smile's biggest flaw is either that it is too gummy or their teeth appear too long, according to an online poll of consumers...

Open Wide for Your Periodontist and Stop Hiding Behind a Closed-Mouth Smile

Cosmetic periodontal procedures can dramatically improve a smile's appearance.

CHICAGO – June 8, 2001, – About one out of four people say their smile's biggest flaw is either that it is too gummy or their teeth appear too long, according to a poll conducted recently on the American Academy of Periodontology's (AAP) consumer website. Yet, only 26 percent of the 307 respondents said that they know about periodontal procedures that can reshape the gum line to correct these complaints.

These procedures remain a beauty secret, even while 67 percent of periodontists report that they are doing more cosmetic periodontal procedures than they were five years ago.

"Cosmetic periodontal procedures can dramatically improve a smile's appearance, often making a bigger change than more well-known smile enhancements such as tooth whitening," said Michael McGuire, D.D.S., president of the AAP.

For gummy smiles, crown lengthening recontours excess gum and bone to expose more of the natural tooth. Conversely, when teeth appear too long, soft tissue grafts cover exposed roots with gum tissue from another source. Most of the time, periodontists perform crown lengthening and soft tissue grafts for functional rather than esthetic reasons. Crown lengthening is often done to prepare a tooth that is to be fitted with a crown, and soft tissue grafts protect exposed roots from decay and can reduce further recession and bone loss.

However, when these procedures have major esthetic benefits, periodontists agree it is rewarding for them and can be life changing for their patients.

"A young woman visited my office for an evaluation of her gummy smile," relates David Lamberts, DDS, a periodontist in Grand Rapids, MI. "She would not smile very wide, even though she had beautiful teeth. We did crown lengthening on her six upper front teeth. Now she confidently displays a gorgeous wide smile."

Before Treatment
Before
Treatment		After Crown Lengthening
After
Crown Lengthening
Click for enlarged photos
Photos by David Lamberts, DDS

About the AAP

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) is is an 8,000-member professional organization for periodontists - specialists in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth, and in the placement of dental implants. Periodontists are also dentistry’s experts in the treatment of oral inflammation and receive three additional years of specialized training following dental school. Periodontics is one of the nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association.

Find out if you are at risk for periodontal diseases by taking the Academy’s risk assessment test. Referral to a periodontist in your area is available by calling 800-FLOSS-EM or visiting the AAP's website at www.perio.org.

For more information, contact the AAP Public Affairs Department at meg@perio.org or 312/573-3242.

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