Gum Contouring in Wilmslow
Reshape an uneven gum line and reveal the natural proportions of your teeth. Usually a single appointment, carried out under local anaesthetic.
Gum contouring, also known as gum reshaping or a gum lift, adjusts the position and shape of the gum line to improve the proportions of the smile. It treats gummy smiles, where too much gum shows when smiling, and uneven gum lines, where teeth appear at different lengths because the gum sits at different heights. The procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic, usually in a single appointment lasting thirty to sixty minutes, and is frequently combined with veneers or composite bonding as part of a wider cosmetic plan. At Croft Dental on Manchester Road in Wilmslow, gum contouring is carried out by Dr Natasja Kashyap, who holds an MSc in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics.
So, why do your teeth look short?
Usually, they are not.
This is the thing most people do not realise about a gummy smile. The teeth are frequently perfectly normal in size and perfectly well formed. What has gone wrong is where the gum sits in relation to them.
Too much gum showing above the teeth makes them look short and the smile looks gummy. Gum sitting at different heights across the arch makes teeth look uneven, even when they are exactly the same length underneath.
It is a feature people are self conscious about for years without ever finding out it is treatable. They assume it is simply how their smile is, and they adjust. Smiling with the top lip held down. Putting a hand up in photographs. The same quiet adjustments people make for a chipped tooth or a gap, except with no obvious name to search for.
Gum contouring reshapes the gum line so the proportions look right.
Excess gum tissue is removed and the border reshaped, revealing more of the natural tooth crown underneath. The teeth themselves are not touched. Most cases are completed in a single appointment of thirty to sixty minutes under local anaesthetic, using a soft tissue laser or fine surgical instruments.
Where the underlying bone also needs reshaping, a more involved procedure called crown lengthening is required.
One important caveat. A gummy smile has several possible causes and only one of them responds to contouring. Establishing which applies to you is the first thing we do, and it is covered properly further down this page.
What gum contouring can address
- Gummy smiles: reducing a noticeable band of gum tissue showing above the upper teeth when smiling.
- Uneven gum lines: correcting varying gum heights across the arch, so teeth appear even and proportionate.
- Short looking teeth: revealing more of the natural crown where teeth are partially covered by excess tissue.
- Preparation before veneers or bonding: establishing correct gum symmetry before restorative work is designed, so the veneers are made to the right proportions rather than compensating for a gum line that could have been corrected.
What gum contouring cannot address
- A skeletal cause. Where the gummy appearance results from the position of the upper jaw, contouring will not correct it. This requires orthodontic or surgical assessment.
- An overactive upper lip. Where the lip lifts higher than average during expression, the cause is muscular rather than gum tissue, and different treatment is needed.
- Gum recession. This is the opposite problem. Recession requires grafting rather than contouring.
- Gum disease. Inflamed, swollen gums can make a smile look gummy, but the answer is periodontal treatment rather than surgery. In some cases treating the gum disease resolves the appearance entirely.
Am I a suitable candidate?
Usually suitable if you
- Have healthy gums, or gum disease that can be treated first
- Have excess gum tissue rather than a skeletal or lip related cause
- Have sufficient gum tissue remaining after reshaping to keep the tooth root protected
- Have realistic expectations of the change achievable
We will need to assess further if you
- Have active gum disease, which must be treated and resolved first
- Have thin gum tissue, since removing more may expose root surface
- Have a gummy smile caused by jaw position, which contouring will not correct
- Smoke, since healing is slower and the risk of complications higher
- Have a condition affecting healing, such as poorly controlled diabetes
Establishing the cause first
This is the most important part of the assessment and it is the reason we will not simply book you in.
A gummy smile has several possible causes and only one of them is treated by contouring. Dr Natasja will assess which applies to you before recommending anything.
If the cause is skeletal or lip related, contouring will not fix it and she will tell you so, along with what would. If the cause is gum inflammation, treating that may resolve the appearance without any surgery at all.
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All photographs show patients treated at Croft Dental and are published with their consent. Results shown are individual results.
Your treatment journey
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1Step one: your consultationDr Natasja examines your gums, teeth and smile line, and establishes what is actually causing the appearance you want to change. Photographs and digital scans are taken.
If the cause is not something contouring will treat, you will be told at this appointment rather than after treatment. -
2Step two: designThe intended new gum line is planned and marked out before treatment, so you can see what is proposed.
Where contouring forms part of a veneer or bonding case, the gum line is designed alongside the teeth rather than separately, which is the only way to get the final proportions right. -
3Step three: your written planCost, appointment time, and what to expect during healing. Nothing proceeds until you have agreed.
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4Step four: any preparatory treatmentGum disease is treated and resolved first. This can take several weeks, and in some cases the appearance improves enough that contouring becomes unnecessary.
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5Step five: the procedureCarried out under local anaesthetic, so you will feel pressure but not pain. Excess gum tissue is removed and the line reshaped. Where bone recontouring is also needed, the procedure takes longer.
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6Step six: healingThe first 48 hours: mild tenderness and slight swelling are normal. Ordinary painkillers manage it. Stick to soft foods and avoid hot food and drink until the anaesthetic wears off.
The first week: discomfort settles steadily. Keep the area clean but brush gently around the treated gum. Avoid spicy or acidic food, which irritates healing tissue.
Weeks one to two: the gum settles into its final position. Most patients are entirely comfortable within a week.
If you smoke, healing is slower and the risk of complications higher. Stopping around the procedure genuinely matters. -
7Step seven: review and any restorative workWe check healing and the final gum position. Where veneers or bonding are planned, these follow once the gum has fully stabilised, usually several weeks later.
Placing them too early risks the gum settling into a different position afterwards and the margins showing, which is a considerably harder problem to fix than waiting.
Pricing and fees
Treatment | From |
Consultation | Free |
Gum contouring, per tooth | £[X] |
Gum contouring, front six teeth | £[X] |
Crown lengthening, where bone recontouring is required | £[X] |
Gum contouring is frequently carried out as part of a wider cosmetic plan, in which case it is quoted within the overall case cost rather than separately.
Where to find us
Croft Dental sits at 64 Manchester Road, on the Handforth side of Wilmslow town centre. Coming up from The Carrs, we are north east along Manchester Road. If you reach Handforth Dean, you have gone too far.
We are around ten minutes on foot from Wilmslow station, five minutes from Handforth, and roughly ten minutes from Alderley Edge up the A34.
Patients come to us from Alderley Edge, Handforth, Styal, Prestbury, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Poynton, Bramhall, Cheadle, Hale and Altrincham.
Contouring is usually a single appointment followed by a review, which makes it straightforward for patients travelling a distance.
Not sure where to start? Give us a ring.
- DENTIST
Meet your cosmetic dentist
Dr Natasja Kashyap
BDS · MSc Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics · MFDS RCS Edinburgh · Platinum Invisalign Provider · GDC 150054
Dr Natasja carries out gum contouring at Croft Dental, usually as part of a wider cosmetic plan.
Her postgraduate training in Prosthodontics covers how restorations relate to the surrounding soft tissue, which is precisely what determines whether the finished result looks natural at the gum line. A veneer margin sitting against a gum line that has not settled properly is one of the most common reasons cosmetic cases look wrong a year later, and avoiding it is a matter of sequencing and planning rather than skill with the instruments alone.
She will also establish the cause before recommending the treatment. Cosmetic gum surgery on a patient whose gummy smile is skeletal in origin achieves nothing, and the assessment exists to rule that out.
- Finance
Spread the cost of gum contouring with finance
We offer finance on cosmetic treatment through Tabeo so the cost can be spread across monthly payments. Interest-free options are available with no arrangement fees or hidden charges.
Applications take a few minutes and you will know the outcome quickly. We will show you exactly what your treatment would cost per month at your consultation.
- REGISTRATION
We're Welcoming New Patients
We warmly welcome new patients to our practice. If it’s been a while since your last visit, if dental visits make you feel anxious, if you’ve recently moved to Wilmslow, or if you’re simply seeking a team that truly listens to your concerns, you’ll find a supportive and gentle environment here with us.
During your first appointment, we take the time to conduct a complete evaluation of your teeth, gums, and overall oral health. We will listen carefully to your goals, answer any questions, and collaboratively create a treatment plan tailored specifically to you.
"I have my smile back thanks to the skill of the team here. All in all, a very happy patient."
- FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Gum contouring, also called gum reshaping or a gum lift, is a cosmetic procedure that removes excess gum tissue and reshapes the gum line to improve the proportions of a smile. It treats gummy smiles, where too much gum shows when smiling, and uneven gum lines, where teeth appear different lengths. It is carried out under local anaesthetic, usually in a single appointment.
Gum contouring is carried out under local anaesthetic, so the procedure itself is not painful and patients typically feel pressure rather than pain. Mild tenderness and swelling are common for the first few days afterwards and are usually managed with ordinary painkillers. Most patients are comfortable within a week.
In most cases gum contouring is permanent, since the removed tissue does not grow back. Results can change if gum disease develops afterwards or if the gum recedes over time. Maintaining good oral hygiene and attending regular dental appointments helps preserve the result.
Initial healing usually takes one to two weeks, with tenderness settling within a few days. The gum continues to settle into its final position over several weeks. Where veneers or bonding are planned afterwards, these are usually placed once the gum has fully stabilised, several weeks after contouring.
It depends on the cause. Where a gummy smile results from excess gum tissue covering the teeth, contouring is effective. Where it results from the position of the upper jaw or an overactive upper lip, contouring will not correct it and other treatment is needed. Swollen gums caused by gum disease can also create a gummy appearance, which may resolve with periodontal treatment alone. An assessment is required to establish the cause.
Gum contouring is usually carried out before veneers rather than at the same appointment, so the gum can settle into its final position before the veneers are designed and fitted. Placing veneers before the gum has stabilised risks the margins becoming visible as the tissue settles. The two are planned together as part of one case.
Gum contouring reshapes the soft tissue only, removing excess gum to reveal more of the natural tooth. Crown lengthening additionally involves reshaping the underlying bone, which is required where the bone sits too close to the tooth edge for soft tissue reshaping alone to produce a stable result. Crown lengthening is a more involved procedure with a longer healing period.