Tooth Contouring and Gum Contouring: Reshaping Teeth and the Gum Line

Shape is a small thing that can bother you every time you see a photograph: one tooth sitting a touch longer than the one beside it, an edge that looks jagged, a gum line that rides lower on one side than the other. Tooth contouring and gum contouring are the procedures aimed at exactly that, one at the shape of a tooth and the other at the shape of the gum line around it. Both belong to the wider field described in our article on what cosmetic dentistry covers, and a neighbouring article covers dental bonding.

Tooth contouring

This one works on the tooth itself. Tooth contouring removes small amounts of tooth enamel to change the shape of your teeth, and because you only have so much natural enamel, there is a limit to how much your dentist can remove (Cleveland Clinic).

Gum contouring

If what bothers you is the gum line rather than the tooth, this is the procedure that works on it. During gum contouring surgery, your dentist removes excess gum tissue and reshapes your gum line for a more symmetrical, balanced appearance. Someone who has gum contouring may need to take a couple of days off work (Cleveland Clinic).

How long results last

There is no single answer, and the honest version of it has more than one variable in it. Results can last anywhere from a few months to the rest of your life, depending on the type of procedure you have and how well you take care of your teeth and gums. Approximate lengths are six months to three years for teeth whitening, five to eight years for dental bonding and five to 15 years for veneers, and tooth contouring is permanent (Cleveland Clinic).

Planning a first visit

Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644, and Dr. Steven Liao is our dentist. Anyone planning a first visit can start on our first-visit page.

Sources

• Cleveland Clinic. "Cosmetic Dentistry." Updated 2024-11-06. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23914-cosmetic-dentistry