Gingivoplasty is the surgical reshaping of the gum tissue around the teeth to improve the esthetics of the smile. Your doctor may recommend a gingivoplasty to improve the symmetry of your gums, to correct badly formed gums, to improve the look of gums that are genetically malformed, or to fix trauma that has affected the natural look of the gums. Unlike a gum graft, however, gingivoplasty procedures do not add gum tissue. Instead, the procedure simply reshapes the existing gum tissue.
The Procedure
Prior to the procedure, your gums will be numbed using a local anesthetic. The doctor will then shape the gum tissue using special instruments designed for gingivectomy and gingivoplasty procedures. The procedure usually lasts between 20 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of gum tissue that is altered.
What’s the difference between a gingivectomy and a gingivoplasty?
They may sound like the same procedure, but gingivectomy and gingivoplasty procedures are performed for different reasons. Gingivectomies are performed to remove and reshape loose, diseased gum tissue in order to reduce pocket depth between the teeth. The gingivoplasty procedure is almost always performed in conjunction with the gingivectomy in order to correct the remaining thick and unnaturally shaped gum tissue that may remain after the gingivectomy procedure.
