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If you feel your teeth are a little shorter than they should be, then Crown Lengthening will give you a broader, more symmetrical smile. 

Crown lengthening is typically performed to improve the health of the gum tissue or prepare your mouth for certain restorative procedures – for example, if not enough of the tooth sticks out above the gum line to support a filling or crown. You may also consider crown lengthening if your smile can be described as “gummy,” where the teeth are covered with excess gum tissue. 

Crown lengthening is a common surgical procedure performed by Dr. Forbes who will extend the height or size of the portion of the tooth that is visible above the gum line. The doctor will typically use a local anesthesia and then gradually reshape or remove the excess gum and bone tissue to expose more of the natural tooth. 

In most cases, after the surgery, the area will be completely healed and back to normal within 2-3 months. You will, however, notice the results immediately in a wider, more symmetrical smile. 

Dr. Forbes can perform crown lengthening on a single tooth, for a more even gum line, or to several teeth to reveal a broader smile or prepare you for further dental work.

02

A gingivectomy is a surgical procedure designed to excise or to remove excess gum tissue. A gingivectomy is usually performed to improve esthetics or allow for better access for self-care by reducing the depth of pockets between the teeth and gums. Swollen or enlarged gingival tissue may be caused by poor oral hygiene, local irritations, systemic issues, or by many common prescription drugs.

How is a gingivectomy performed?

Before the procedure begins, the area will be completely numb using a local anesthetic. Small incisions are then made and excess gum tissue is carefully removed. After all areas of diseased tissue are removed, the sutures are placed and a bandage is placed over the gums. The bandage is designed to protect the gums as they heal.

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04

If caught early and treated, periodontal disease and its effects can be drastically decreased with proper gum disease treatment and continued maintenance. If left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to tooth and bone loss.

Gingivitis can be one of the first signs of infection and gum disease. The build-up of bacteria that is causing the inflammation of your gums is plaque. If the plaque is not brushed away properly it hardens into tartar and calculus, which we cannot remove on our own. The bacteria in the hardened plaque eats away at the connective tissue between your teeth and gums creating “pockets”. 

At this stage the effects of periodontal disease are still reversible. In some patients, their gum disease is diagnosed early enough to where they can avoid needing gum surgery. Instead their gum disease can be treated with a special deep dental cleaning called scaling and root planing.

Scaling and root planing or a “deep cleaning” is a non-surgical periodontal therapy that removes accessible calculus (tartar), bacterial toxins, and etiological agents that cause inflammation to the gum tissue and surrounding bone. The goal of scaling and root planing is to eliminate disease and return the supporting structures of the teeth to a healthy state that can be maintained by home care and professional maintenance appointments at our office.

05

Receding gums, medically known as gingival recession, is a common problem, especially among adults over the age of 65. Receding gums can occur so gradually that many people might not be aware that they have gingival recession until they start to feel the negative effects of the condition.

Currently, the most common way that gingival recession is treated is through soft-tissue grafting. While this is the traditional method, many patients avoid the treatment because soft-tissue grafting can be painful and a relatively lengthy process if multiple teeth are affected. The Pinhole Surgical Technique is an alternative treatment to receding gums that is faster, not nearly as painful, and shows great promise as a long-term solution to dealing with receding gums.

Dr. Forbes is trained and certified to perform the Pinhole Surgical Technique. This procedure is performed by making small holes with a needle in the gum tissue. Using specially designed instruments, the gum tissue is loosened and guided over the receded part of the tooth. Since there is no cutting or stitching, patients can expect minimal post-operative symptoms (pain, swelling and bleeding). Most patients also are pleasantly surprised by the instant cosmetic improvement.