Reshape your gum line and reveal more of your natural teeth with precision cosmetic gum surgery by a board-certified periodontist
Cosmetic gum contouring — also called gum reshaping, gum sculpting, or aesthetic crown lengthening — is a procedure in which a periodontist removes or reshapes excess gum tissue to improve the appearance of your smile. The goal is to create balanced, symmetrical proportions between your teeth and gum line so that your smile looks natural and harmonious.
Gum contouring addresses several common aesthetic concerns:
At The Loft Dental Studio, cosmetic gum contouring is performed by Dr. Chanook David Ahn, a board-certified periodontist with advanced training from Yale and faculty appointment at UCLA. His surgical precision ensures results that are not only beautiful but permanent.
A gummy smile occurs when more than three to four millimeters of gum tissue is visible above the upper teeth during a full smile. It is one of the most common reasons patients seek cosmetic dentistry, and it can significantly affect confidence — many patients with gummy smiles report that they consciously limit how widely they smile or cover their mouth when laughing.
The causes of a gummy smile vary. Some patients have excess gum tissue that genetically covers more of the tooth than normal. Others have teeth that erupted incompletely, leaving gum tissue in a position that should have receded during development. In some cases, the upper jaw bone itself contributes to excessive gum display. Dr. Ahn diagnoses the specific cause of your gummy smile using clinical examination and 3D imaging, then tailors the treatment approach accordingly.
For most gummy smile cases, Dr. Ahn uses surgical crown lengthening to remove excess gum tissue and recontour the underlying bone. In milder cases, laser gum contouring can reshape the soft tissue alone. Results are visible immediately — the teeth appear longer, the smile line is more balanced, and the proportions between teeth and gums shift dramatically. The change is permanent.
Gummy smile correction is often the first step in a comprehensive smile makeover. Once the gum line is sculpted into the ideal position, patients frequently pair the procedure with porcelain veneers or teeth whitening to complete the transformation. At The Loft Dental Studio, this combined approach is handled by two board-certified specialists under one roof — Dr. Ahn perfects the gum architecture and Dr. Lu designs the restorative work.
Your gum tissue does not exist in isolation — it sits directly on bone. This is the critical fact that many patients do not realize when they consider gum contouring, and it is the reason a periodontist should perform the procedure rather than a general dentist.
A general dentist can trim gum tissue. But if the underlying bone is not evaluated and addressed when necessary, the gums will often grow back to their original position within months. The body regenerates soft tissue to maintain its natural relationship with bone. If the bone level dictates a certain gum position, simply cutting the tissue is a temporary solution at best.
Dr. Ahn evaluates your bone architecture with 3D cone beam imaging before any gum contouring procedure. If the bone is positioned too high — which is the case in the majority of gummy smile patients — he recontours both the bone and the soft tissue together. This addresses the root cause of the excess tissue, not just the symptom. The result is a gum line that stays exactly where it is placed, permanently.
As a board-certified periodontist, Dr. Ahn completed a multi-year surgical residency at Yale focused exclusively on the structures that support teeth — gums, bone, and connective tissue. He served as Chief Resident and now teaches periodontal surgery at UCLA. This level of training and specialization is what separates predictable, lasting gum contouring from procedures that look good initially but fail over time. For patients investing in cosmetic dentistry, getting the gum foundation right the first time is essential.
Dr. Ahn offers both laser and surgical approaches to gum contouring. The right technique depends on the complexity of your case and whether bone recontouring is required.
Laser gum contouring uses focused light energy to precisely remove excess soft tissue. It is ideal for minor reshaping — evening out a slightly uneven gum line, removing a small amount of tissue around one or two teeth, or refining tissue after orthodontic treatment. The laser cauterizes as it cuts, which means less bleeding and faster healing. Most patients experience minimal discomfort and return to normal activities the next day. However, laser contouring is limited to soft tissue. It cannot recontour bone, so it is not appropriate for cases where bone architecture is contributing to the gummy appearance.
Surgical crown lengthening is the more comprehensive approach. Dr. Ahn makes precise incisions in the gum tissue, reflects a small flap, and recontours both the soft tissue and the underlying bone to the desired position. This technique is necessary when the bone level is too high, which is the case for most gummy smile patients. Surgical crown lengthening produces the most precise, most predictable, and most permanent results. Recovery involves a soft diet for one to two weeks and full tissue maturation over four to six weeks.
Dr. Ahn determines the appropriate technique during your consultation after reviewing your clinical examination and 3D imaging. In some cases, a combination of both approaches — surgical recontouring in one area and laser refinement in another — produces the best outcome.
Recovery from laser gum contouring is minimal. Most patients experience mild soreness for one to two days, managed comfortably with over-the-counter pain relievers. The treated gum tissue may appear slightly pink or swollen for the first few days. You can brush the area gently with a soft-bristle toothbrush and rinse with the prescribed antimicrobial mouthwash. Most patients return to their normal diet and routine within 24 to 48 hours.
Surgical gum contouring involves a slightly longer recovery. The first 48 hours typically involve the most swelling, which responds well to ice packs and prescribed medication. A soft diet is recommended for one to two weeks while the incision sites heal. Sutures are removed at approximately 7 to 14 days. Full tissue healing and maturation takes four to six weeks, at which point the gum line has settled into its permanent position.
For both approaches, results are visible immediately after the procedure. Your teeth will appear longer and more proportional from the moment the treatment is complete. As healing progresses over the following weeks, the tissue refines further and the final aesthetic result becomes fully apparent. Patients consistently describe the improvement as dramatic — a change that transforms not just the smile but their confidence in showing it.
Find out what cosmetic gum contouring can do for your smile. Dr. Ahn evaluates your gum tissue and bone architecture, explains your options, and shows you what to expect — all in one consultation.
Call (714) 549-7030When performed by a board-certified periodontist who addresses both the gum tissue and the underlying bone, gum contouring results are permanent. The key distinction is bone management. If only soft tissue is trimmed without evaluating and recontouring the bone where necessary, the gums can grow back to their original position. Dr. Ahn uses 3D imaging to assess the bone architecture and addresses both tissue and bone as needed, ensuring your results last a lifetime.
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, so you feel no pain during treatment. Post-operative discomfort is generally mild. Laser gum contouring typically involves minimal soreness for one to two days. Surgical crown lengthening, which involves bone recontouring, may cause moderate discomfort managed with over-the-counter or prescribed pain medication for the first few days. Most patients report that recovery is more comfortable than they expected.
Yes, gum contouring and porcelain veneers are frequently combined for a complete smile transformation. At The Loft Dental Studio, board-certified periodontist Dr. Ahn performs the gum contouring first, reshaping the tissue and bone to create the ideal gum line. After full healing, board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Lu designs and places veneers on the perfected tissue foundation. This two-specialist approach under one roof produces results that are more balanced and longer-lasting than either procedure alone. It is the foundation of our approach to cosmetic dentistry.