Page 23 - Amazing Smiles

figure 12b Factors that Determine How Your Smile Looks

Other times the opposite problem exists.
The gum line is much too high in the maxilla or
too low in the mandible when the patient smiles.
This gives the teeth a very long and unnatural look.
The teeth with the needed gums will look unnatu-
rally larger and out of balance with the others. If
the problem is minimal, a piece of gum tissue can
be grafted onto the longer tooth root recreating a
normal sized looking tooth. (figure 12b). If the
gum line is extremely receded, or the patient is
not a candidate for gum grafting (gingival grafts)
new porcelain teeth are made where gum-colored
(pinkish) porcelain is baked onto a porcelain
crown or veneer to create the illusion of added
new gum tissue. This procedure makes the teeth
look more normal and natureal when the patient
smiles. This procedure is particularly useful where
teeth have been previously lost or where dental
implants are used for tooth replacements.
(figure 13)

figure 13

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