Laser Gum Lift

Laser gum lift at Hello Dental Colchester

A laser gum lift is a procedure where the gum is carefully taken away using Waterlase to expose more teeth or roots.

There are various reasons one might have a gum lift. These include:

1. Cosmetics: Gum lifts can be used to reduce “gummy smiles” and sometimes if the gums are not balanced or symmetrical.
2. Reduce excess gum swelling: Some drugs used to control high blood pressure (eg: nifedipine, amlodipine) and epilepsy can lead to excessive swelling of the gums. This, in turn, can lead to decay and more serious gum disease. Taking this excess tissue away is possible using Waterlase and no anaesthetic in a very non-invasive and comfortable procedure.
3. Broken teeth: Sometimes when a tooth has broken or decayed at the gum level, it can be difficult to restore predictably because there is very little to hang onto. By using a laser-assisted procedure called root lengthening, we can expose roots very easily and predictably. Done conventionally, the surgery is traumatic, needing stitches and significantly more post-operative discomfort. With Waterlase gum lift our patients often tell us they did not need painkillers at all because the discomfort was minor.

As one of the few dentists in Colchester and Ipswich to routinely use Waterlase, we are able to perform a laser gum lift a lot more comfortably (usually without needles), with less trauma and better healing than can be done conventionally.

While some dentists will use cheaper diode lasers to perform gum lifts, because diodes work using heat they cause a lot more trauma than a cold erbium laser. This means that unless the gum lift is very minor, it is impossible to do this without an injection and also afterwards there is more inflammation and pain.

If you would like more information on whether a laser gum lift might be suitable for you please contact us for a free consultation.