Crown lengthening surgery

Crown lengthening surgery is a small surgical procedure that is done to increase the available crown height which may have reduced due to decay in the tooth, excessive gum enlargement, or bony changes. It is achieved by reducing the gum tissue or reshaping the bone, if indicated. The purpose of crown lengthening is to provide sufficient crown structure to receive a cap. It can also be done for aesthetic purposes such as correction of a ‘gummy smile’

Gingivoplasty

Gingivoplasty is a procedure that is done to re- shape of the gum tissue around the teeth to establish symmetry and reduce excess gum tissue giving a more aesthetic appearance. It is indicated when gums have an unusual shape or may not have formed normally. Re-shaping the gums or gingivoplasty gives the gums a more natural appearance. Gingivoplasty can be done alone or after gingivectomy and soft tissue grafting.

Gingivectomy is a minor surgical procedure to remove excessive gum tissue in cases in cases where there is enlargement or improper form of the gingival tissue which is compromising the normal periodontal anatomy and causing the gums to pull away from the teeth, resulting in pockets. Pockets harbour periodontal infection and present difficulties in maintaining oral hygiene which further progress gum disease. In a gingivectomy procedure, loose and diseased gum tissue is surgically removed and re-shaped so that it adapts better to the tooth.

Gingivectomy can also be done as a cosmetic surgery. Enlarged gum tissue that is compromising the appearance of the gums is removed to improve aesthetics.

Gingival depigmentation

Certain individuals may observe dark discoloration of the gum tissue which is fairly evident when they smile or speak. Some causes for the discoloration can be hyperpigmentation, smoking, medications and old silver fillings that leak into the gum tissue. The gums appear black or spotted instead of its natural coral pink appearance, making them look unhealthy. In such cases, gum de-pigmentation or gum bleaching can be done to improve how the gums look. Our Periodontist will do an evaluation to determine if you are the right candidate for it.

Frenectomy

Our normal soft tissue structure in the mouth has small tissue attachments called frenum such as the one below the tongue or above the two upper front teeth.

Tongue tie is a developmental defect where the attachment under the tongue between the tongue and the floor of the mouth is much shorter than usual. This can in turn impact development or the facial structure, speech, diet and normal swallowing form.

In cases where the upper frenal attachment is lower than its regular position, a gap may form in between the teeth as it present as an obstruction during development. This gap is called a midline diastema.

Abnormal frenal attachement causes issues such as orthodontic problems and difficulty in speech and eating. A frenectomy involves cutting or surgical reduction of the frenal attachment so that it is in a more favourable form. It is a minor, short surgical procedure done by our in-house Periodontists.

Biopsy

In cases where there is suspected abnormal tissue in the mouth, a biopsy is required to determine the nature of the tissue on a cellular level. In a biopsy, a small segment of the tissue is removed and sent to a lab to evaluate at the microscopic level. This allows us to determine the presence of abnormal cells and extent of disease. It is the main way to diagnose most types of cancer.