Check-up and Digital Imaging
A six-monthly examination: intraoral check, digital X-ray if needed and a written summary of the day. A record is kept even when nothing is found; the next check-up is compared against it.
DetailsIn some smiles the teeth look short; the issue is not their length but how much of them the gum covers. Reshaping the gum margin is a small procedure planned after the gum and bone have been measured.
The process
- Examination, measurement and photographs; deciding where the margin should sit
- An X-ray if needed — bone level is what really sets the limit
- Reshaping the margin under local anaesthetic
- Healing; the margin settles over a few weeks
- Follow-up
What sets the limit
The gum is not cut at an arbitrary height: a certain distance to the bone beneath it has to be respected. Ignore that and the gum recedes, leaving a result worse than the starting point. That is why measurements come first, and why in some patients it is the bone level, not the gum, that is adjusted.
This page is general information and does not replace a dental examination. Whether the treatment suits you, and the method and duration, are decided only after an intraoral examination and radiographic assessment.
After treatment
No hard brushing over the area in the first week; use the rinse advised. Avoid hot and spicy food for a while. The margin settles over a few weeks and is assessed then.
The information on this page is for general guidance and does not replace a dental examination. Treatment decisions are made after an intraoral examination and radiographic assessment.