Cosmetic Dentistry
in Philadelphia

One of the first things people notice about you is your smile. But when you don’t feel confident about your mouth, you may not feel like smiling much at all. And the things that make you unhappy with your smile can impact your overall self-confidence, health, and quality of life, too.

It takes more than teeth to make a beautiful smile; the gums also play a vital role. Is there something you don’t like about your gums? Dr. I. Stephen Brown at The Perio Group can help.

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Dr. Brown can help with:

A gummy smile

When you smile, do people see more gum than teeth? Many patients have concerns about their “gummy smile,” which leaves some teeth covered by too much gum and makes the teeth look too short. This can be corrected by a procedure known as crown lengthening.

Crown lengthening recontours the gum tissue, exposing just the right amount of the tooth. This procedure can be either functional or cosmetic. Functional crown lengthening is often used to prepare a tooth to be fitted with a crown or to receive further treatment—it pushes back the gum to create more space for the tooth to be worked on. Cosmetic crown lengthening is performed to improve the look of the teeth.

Long-looking teeth or exposed roots

Gum recession can leave some people with overly long teeth, sometimes even exposing the root of the tooth. This look ages your smile, but that’s not all—exposed roots can put you at greater risk of tooth decay and can eventually lead to tooth loss. Gum recession can happen because of gum disease, genetic factors, or toothbrush abrasion, which wears away the gums over time. Fortunately, there are ways to correct this even after the damage is done. Gum graft surgery and the pinhole surgical technique are both successful ways to cover the roots of overlong teeth.

In traditional gum graft surgery, a piece of tissue is taken from the soft palate and grafted to the gum, covering the roots of the teeth and holding them in place. The pinhole surgery technique is a newer method practiced by only a handful of doctors. With this technique, Dr. Brown uses special tools to loosen the gum tissue and slide it over the top of the tooth. Both procedures have long-lasting and successful results, though the pinhole technique is less invasive and has a shorter recovery time.

Missing teeth

Missing teeth can have negative effects on the look, functionality, and health of your mouth. When you’re missing teeth, other teeth can drift to fill the space and become misaligned. This can also create indentations in the gums and jawbone—or even loss of bone mass in the jaw—because the jawbone recedes when it isn’t needed to hold a tooth in place. Missing teeth can also make you more susceptible to gum disease or tooth decay, since the empty pocket where a tooth used to be can easily accumulate plaque and bacteria.

The Perio Group offers dental implants, which can replace not only missing teeth but also broken or decayed teeth that need to be removed. Dental implants look and function just like natural teeth, and are attached directly to the bone, so they are more stable than other tooth replacement options. Best of all, they stimulate bone growth in the jaw so you won’t find your jaw receding as you age.

Dark or discolored gums

While gum hyperpigmentation (darkened gums) may simply be a genetic condition with no negative health consequences, some people don’t like the way they look. In other cases, smoking or poor dental hygiene can lead to pigmentation. Dr. Brown offers gum bleaching, which lightens the gums and brightens the smile, with results that last many years.

If you’re unhappy with the look of your teeth or gums, contact us to schedule a consultation. You can make an appointment with us today, by phone or online.

Dr. I. Stephen Brown and his team of dental professionals approach each patient with a depth of care that produces spectacular results. This theme of exceptional care is echoed repeatedly in patient testimonials:

“…the experience with Dr. Brown and his staff has been nothing short of fantastic. Dr. Brown is a highly skilled clinician with a compassionate bed side manner that instantly puts you at ease. It’s amazing to me how your comfort level changes when you totally trust the clinician.”

“Congratulations on your recognition by MDTV Medical News Now Inc., as a leading implant specialist. Your clinical expertise and caring approach have made a big difference in my dental health. I appreciate the care and support I receive from you and your superb staff…”

“My teeth are beautiful. The change since I first visited your office is a miracle. I feel so grateful to you and your staff for your skills, for your cautious approach, and for your professional handling of the whole affair.”

“…many thanks to each of you for perfecting my smile…I still can’t get out of the habit of smiling into car mirrors, store windows, etc. to “check out” my teeth!! I embarrass myself! Thank you both for teaming up to perform such a wonderful and caring dental restoration.”

“Thanks again for the terrific, excellent work you all did to change my gum line — it is a delight and pleasure to be your patient — Best of all, my gums look untouched!”

“I am so grateful that you finally solved a dental problem that has plagued me for 20 plus years. I can finally show a big smile without hiding my front teeth. Great job!”

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