Laser Gum Recontouring vs. Traditional Reshaping: Which Option Is Best?

Your gums do quite a bit for your oral and overall wellness; not only do they hold your teeth in place and ensure they’re receiving enough nutrients, but they’re also closely linked with various other systems throughout your body! However, not everyone has perfect gum tissue; it’s possible to suffer gum disease or other related issues, like “gummy smiles,” that detract from your smile’s appearance and heighten the risk of certain oral issues. Luckily, laser periodontal therapy is one of the best ways of handling all kinds of issues affecting the gums. Here’s a closer look at how this process differs from traditional periodontal surgery.

How Is Traditional Periodontal Surgery Performed?

In the past, oral surgery performed on the gums was done with traditional surgical tools. Handheld scalpels were used to make incisions, gauze was used to help keep things clean, and sutures or stitches were used to close up incision sites. There are few doubts that these methods are effective and have been for centuries; however, modern healthcare has made many strides forward in recent years! Many gum procedures, such as laser gum recontouring, are now performed using state-of-the-art soft tissue lasers. They produce the exact same outcomes, but often in a quicker and easier manner!

How Does Laser Gum Recontouring Work?

Laser gum recontouring refers to the use of special soft tissue lasers to make precise cuts to the gumline, rather than using a scalpel and other traditional surgical instruments. Though it might sound intense, these lasers are actually surprisingly gentle on gum tissue, and they’re able to clear away excess or unwanted tissue with relative ease. This improves the overall appearance of the gumline tenfold, allowing your dentist to make it even and symmetrical, while also revealing more of your teeth.  

What are the Benefits of Laser Gum Recontouring?

Laser gum recontouring offers numerous key advantages to patients,

• Improved Patient Comfort – Soft tissue lasers can cauterize incisions while they cut, which greatly reduces the amount of bleeding during the procedure and assists with patient comfort.
• Reduced Infection Risk – The laser also reduces the overall risk of infection during the procedure since it’s cauterizing the gum tissue.
• Quicker Recovery Times – Patients typically heal a few days faster after laser surgery, which allows them to quickly resume their normal day-to-day routines.

Given all of the benefits it offers, laser gum recontouring is clearly a superior option to traditional techniques and a testament to the constant innovation found in the field of dentistry.

About the Author

Dr. Jason Tubo received his DMD from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine and has proudly served the dental needs of patients in Whitinsville, MA for several years. Dr. Tubo has also been awarded Mastership with the Academy of General Dentistry, one of dentistry’s most prestigious awards that only a select few achieve. His practice offers a wide range of treatment options, including laser gum recontouring. If you have any questions or comments about the blog or you’d like to get in touch with his team to schedule a visit, you can reach out online or by telephone for assistance. Telephone: (508) 234-8107.