Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

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vegathestar
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 4:08 am

Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#1 Post by vegathestar »

This is how my teeth looks with braces
Image
as you can see there is this tooth that is showing particularly more 'gums' than the others (gummy tooth?)
can braces bring my tooth UP so that it would look less gummy?
Image

ArchWired28
Posts: 636
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:44 am
Location: Tampa, FL, USA

Re: Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#2 Post by ArchWired28 »

Honestly, I can't determine which tooth you are talking about. To me, your teeth look straight and very well lined up in the gums. Not sure if I wanted any corrections if it were my teeth.
Had full mouth metal braces for 21 months. Debonded April 2013. Now wearing clear plastic retainers every other night.

I have no formal dental or orthodontic education. Hence, all opinions expressed by me on this forum are those of an "informed consumer" and by no means intended as an expert advice.

Glandyover
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Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:58 pm
Location: Austin, TX
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Re: Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#3 Post by Glandyover »

I'm not seeing it either. You really want your teeth to line up. Trimming the gums or whatever they call it would be a whole 'nother story.

vegathestar
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 4:08 am

Re: Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#4 Post by vegathestar »

Aw i'm so sorry!
Heres a better pic
Image
the first tooth on the left (in the rectangular box) is kinda lower than the rest of the teeth.
Can this really not be fixed by braces? :-+ i'm very concerned of the aesthetic of my smile so...
Image

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Kipepeo
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Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:19 pm

Re: Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#5 Post by Kipepeo »

What does your natural smile look like? Your teeth are lined up very nicely from this photo. I do see what you're referring to. But if you raise that tooth up, then your teeth will not line up at the bottom edge. I don't know for sure, but I think what people see in a smile is the symmetry along the bottom edge first, not the gumline.

And I'd be careful about removing gum so the gumlines are even. You may expose parts of the tooth that can lead to sensitivity, and maybe further gum loss.

Glandyover
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Re: Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#6 Post by Glandyover »

vegathestar wrote:Aw i'm so sorry!
Heres a better pic
Image
the first tooth on the left (in the rectangular box) is kinda lower than the rest of the teeth.
Can this really not be fixed by braces? :-+ i'm very concerned of the aesthetic of my smile so...
I'm no dentist or anything but maybe that is the right level of gum tissue and your other tooth has seen some recession.

vegathestar
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 4:08 am

Re: Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#7 Post by vegathestar »

Kipepeo wrote:What does your natural smile look like? Your teeth are lined up very nicely from this photo. I do see what you're referring to. But if you raise that tooth up, then your teeth will not line up at the bottom edge. I don't know for sure, but I think what people see in a smile is the symmetry along the bottom edge first, not the gumline.

And I'd be careful about removing gum so the gumlines are even. You may expose parts of the tooth that can lead to sensitivity, and maybe further gum loss.
My natural smile is more or less the same. I only got braces on the upper arch to fix my midline. Actually that particular tooth is 'slightly longer' than the other corresponding one :-* yeah I didn't really want to 'remove the gum' by getting the gum surgery to expose more of the tooth. So I was thinking of asking my orthodontist if its possible to push that tooth back into gums a little to make it slightly shorter.

Omg and I realised i'm a dumbass! I didn't realise pushing the tooth back into the gums would not help it to expose more tooth to line the gumline :-+
Glandyover wrote: I'm no dentist or anything but maybe that is the right level of gum tissue and your other tooth has seen some recession.
Yeah I think it is the 'natural level of gum tissue'. Don't think its recession though, my gums are crazily healthy especially on the top arch. :GapToothed:
Image

margarets
Posts: 112
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:18 am

Re: Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#8 Post by margarets »

Yes, you can push a tooth up. I'm having that done with my two front top ones, which are longer than the ones beside.

Of course, the goal is an overall balanced smile, so you may have to make some choices about which is more important.

I think your teeth look fine though.

FFWM
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2012 11:09 am

Re: Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#9 Post by FFWM »

It would probably be better to just leave it as is, from an aesthetic point its not noticeable at all unless you open your mouth for someone and they take an indepth look at your teeth and secondly I wouldnt say it even looks ugly when you pointed it out in that photo.

Glandyover
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Location: Austin, TX
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Re: Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#10 Post by Glandyover »

Let me echo everybody else's reassurance that your gums look fine. You're only seeing it because it's your mouth. Nobody else is going to be that close or even care (and that's a good thing).

artichokeenthusiast
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 10:21 pm

Re: Can braces bring a tooth UP? (Gummy tooth!)

#11 Post by artichokeenthusiast »

Maybe you could ask your orthodontist whether TADs (Temporary Anchorage Device) could help with what you're asking for?
I had one orthodontist mention that they could be an option for me to reduce my overall gummy smile towards the end of my braces treatment.

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