Here at ClevelandSmiles, one of our most important instruments is the diode laser.  Though we use it for many reasons, we most often take the laser in hand to remove excess gum tissue.  Shaped like a pen or pencil and gripped in an identical manner, the laser removes the tissue in a very predictable and safe manner, while also cauterizing the area, resulting in little to no bleeding at all.  So in the same manner that you might draw a heart on a piece of paper, we are able to contour the tissue.   (Previously, and even currently, some practitioners may use a scalpel or an electrosurgery device, but both have limitations in bleeding and predictability – though they may be the choice in some involved cases.)   The area involved is generally anesthetized (“numbed up”), sometimes by injection but oftentimes through the use of a topical agent that is applied to the area.  Post-treatment care includes the use of a salt/peroxide rinse and occasionally Motrin.

If you have a gummy smile, hesitate to smile wide, have some excess tissue following orthodontic treatment, or some unevenness in the way your gums and teeth look, please call us at 440-461-1003 so that we can see if the laser will work for you!  You’re even welcome to send us some photos of your smile so that we can see how we can help.