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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Are there any risks involved with cosmetic gum surgery?

    Related Topics
    Dentistry Oral Health
    • 2 answers
    • Dr Paul Coceancig
    • Dr Arnold Baume
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  • Dr Paul Coceancig

    Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

    I am a specialist oral & maxillofacial surgeon based in Sydney and Newcastle, Australia. I graduated in medicine from the University of Otago, and in … View Profile

    The biggest risk with cosmetic gum surgery is that removing too much gum can lead to the roots of your teeth becoming exposed, and overt tooth sensitivity resulting.

    Having a careful radiological examination to detect where dental crown ends (the enamel) and the toot root starts is extremely important with cosmetic gum surgery. And the best way to determine this is with CT or ConeBeam imaging.

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  • Dr Arnold Baume

    Dentist

    It is important for people undergoing surgery to be in general good health and not overly stressed. It is also important to give your dentist/periodontist a full medical history with all current conditions and medications you are taking, including those to which you are allergic. Situations exist medically where it is not advisable for individuals to undergo surgical treatment. These mainly fall into the following categories:

    • Smoking and alcohol — can not only make periodontal disease worse, but will delay healing following surgery
    •  immuno-compromised patients (in whom resistance to disease is diminished), cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) disease, to name a few
    • Medications that can affect periodontal disease or surgery,  bleeding that is difficult to stop. Medications that cause gum overgrowth, e.g. calcium channel blocking drugs used to control cardiovascular disease, other medications used to control transplant rejection, and more .
    • There are some rare early onset periodontal  and bone loss  conditions (in the mouth) in some people that  may effect a favourable outcome . Please ask your professional dentist or periodontist the  prognosis or outcome of the work he is doing and how long it will last….after all you have to make a decision to have this done and how long will it “work” . Please note, careful continuous instructed oral hygeine at home is very important .

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