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Gum Disease Aesthetic
Beverly Hills

Gentle, non-surgical gum disease treatment from Dr. Joseph Goodman and the hygienist team patients rate highest. Save the tooth first. Choose your dentist wisely.

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The Frame Around Your Smile

Gum contouring reshapes the tissue framing your teeth. It changes a smile more than most patients expect. Dr. Joseph Goodman DDS DMD has practiced cosmetic dentistry in Beverly Hills for 27 years. He holds California License 47521 and trained in both Germany and the United States. His work starts with proportion, not with tooth color.

Perfectly shaped teeth still look short or uneven when the gum line sits wrong. Excess tissue hides tooth structure. Uneven margins pull the eye to one side. Receding gums expose roots and age a smile early. Each of these has a different fix. Choosing the wrong one wastes your time and money. Below are the problems gum treatment corrects, how the methods differ, and how Dr. Goodman decides.

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What is gum aesthetic treatment?

Gum aesthetic treatment reshapes or restores the gum tissue around your teeth. The goal is a better looking smile. It is also called gum contouring or gum reshaping, and the surgical form is a gingivectomy. Most cases take one to two hours under local anesthetic. Recovery usually takes about one week.

Dr. Goodman treats the gums as part of the whole face, not as tissue to trim. The goal is the right relationship between teeth, gums, lips, and facial proportions. His approach stays conservative and keeps as much healthy tissue as the case allows. Removing gum is easy. Putting it back is hard. He takes only the minimum the result needs. He tells you when the honest answer is to leave your gums alone.

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Phone:

Call: (310) 860-9311
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Address:

241 1/2 S Beverly Dr Suite 201,
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Dr. Joseph Goodman, DDS, DMD
California License 47521

Office Hours

Monday – 9:00am – 7:30pm
Tuesday – 8:00am – 5:00pm
Wednesday – 8:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday – 8:00am – 5:30pm
Friday – 8:00am – 4:00pm
Saturday & Sunday – Closed

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RESULTS

Which gum problems can be corrected?

Gum aesthetic treatment corrects seven common problems, and each one has its own method. Excess tissue is reduced. Uneven margins are leveled. Short-looking teeth are lengthened. Receding gums are covered. Dark pigment is lightened. Gaps near the gum line are closed. Gum levels are set before veneers or crowns are placed. You may be a candidate for treatment if any of the following describes your smile. 

  • Teeth that look short, square, or boxy in photos
  • A gummy smile, where the gums take center stage
  • Gum levels that sit higher on one tooth than the next
  • Receding gums exposing the sensitive tooth roots
  • Black triangles, the small dark gaps near the gum line
  • Uneven gum margins left behind by older dental work
  • A smile that reads unbalanced without one obvious cause

Not every item on that list is fixed by reshaping tissue. Black triangles need volume added back, often with dental bonding to close the gap. Dark gum pigment is a color problem treated with gum bleaching rather than surgery. Dr. Goodman names the real cause before he names the treatment. Gum work sits inside the broader cosmetic dentistry he provides in Beverly Hills.

Gum contouring, crown lengthening, or gum grafting?

The three procedures sound similar and do opposite things. Gum contouring removes excess tissue to reveal more tooth. Crown lengthening removes tissue and sometimes reshapes the bone underneath. Gum grafting adds tissue back where recession has exposed roots. Healthy gum pockets measure 1 to 3 millimeters, and that reading guides the plan.

Here is how the three compare on the points patients ask about.

Procedure Best for What it does Typical recovery
Gum contouring (gingivectomy) Gummy smile, uneven gum line Removes and reshapes excess gum tissue About 1 week
Crown lengthening Teeth too short for a crown or veneer Reshapes gum, and bone when the case needs it 1 to 2 weeks
Gum grafting Recession and exposed tooth roots Adds tissue back to cover the root 1 to 2 weeks

Crown lengthening does double duty. It improves the look and prepares a tooth for restorative work. Grafting is the one procedure in this group that adds rather than removes. When recession is advanced, Dr. Goodman tells you plainly and coordinates care with a periodontist he trusts. You will not be sold surgery you do not need.

What happens during a gum bleaching visit_

Why does diagnosis come before any gum treatment?

Gum tissue does not grow back once removed, so diagnosis matters more than the procedure. Dr. Goodman evaluates eight factors before recommending anything. Two patients with the same gummy smile can need different treatments. Digital photography, smile analysis, high-magnification examination, and X-rays support the read.

  • Gum health and any active inflammation
  • Bone support under the tissue
  • Your smile line, meaning how much shows when you smile
  • Lip position and lip movement
  • Tooth proportions, width against height
  • Facial symmetry
  • Bite relationship
  • Existing crowns, veneers, and fillings

The point is never to remove tissue for its own sake. It is to find the right relationship between your teeth, gums, lips, and face. Soft tissue laser technology is used when the case calls for it. It improves precision and shortens healing. When your gum health needs attention first, that comes before any cosmetic step.

How comfortable is gum treatment, and what is recovery like?

Most gum aesthetic procedures are done with local anesthesia in a single visit. Sedation is available with the practice anesthesiologist if dental visits make you anxious. Patients are usually surprised by how manageable it feels. Most return to normal activities the same day.

Healing runs about one week for tissue reshaping, and slightly longer when bone is involved. You will get written aftercare instructions before you leave. Soft foods and warm rather than hot drinks make the first few days easier. Dr. Goodman sees you back to confirm the tissue is settling the way it should.

CHOOSE YOUR

DENTIST WISELY

BEGIN YOUR PERSONALIZED DENTAL EXPERIENCE WITH DR. GOODMAN

You do not have to live with a gummy smile or an uneven gum line. The first step is a simple check on your gum health and proportions. Dr. Joseph Goodman DDS DMD, California License 47521, has been delivering natural-looking smile transformations in Beverly Hills since 1999, serving patients from West Hollywood, Century City, Brentwood, and as far as the UAE and Germany. Call (310) 860-9311 or schedule your consultation today.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does gum work fit with veneers and other cosmetic treatment?

Reshaping the gums first often means less work on the teeth afterward. When the gum line sits correctly, natural tooth proportions improve on their own. That can turn a case needing eight porcelain veneers into a case needing four. Fixing the frame is the conservative move, and it is usually the cheaper one.

Gum treatment pairs regularly with veneers, bonding, teeth whitening, and full smile makeovers. Dr. Goodman plans the gum line before the restorations are designed. The margins have to be settled first. Doing it in the other order forces compromises into the final result. He will tell you at the consultation which order your case needs.

Is gum contouring permanent?

Yes, in most cases. Gum tissue removed during contouring does not grow back, so the new gum line holds long term. The exception is overgrowth driven by inflammation or medication. There the underlying cause can bring tissue back. The Cleveland Clinic notes that gingivectomy results usually last permanently when gum health stays stable.

Does gum contouring hurt?

Local anesthetic numbs the area completely, so the procedure itself is not painful. Mild tenderness for a few days is normal. Over-the-counter pain relief handles it for most patients. Laser treatment generally causes less bleeding than a scalpel. The Cleveland Clinic describes gum contouring as a low-risk procedure performed under local anesthesia.

What causes receding gums?

Recession has several causes, including gum disease, aggressive brushing, tooth position, grinding, and genetics. It is not always your fault, and it does not always need surgery. What matters is whether the exposed root is progressing or stable. The American Academy of Periodontology explains how graft surgery covers exposed roots and helps prevent further recession.

Can I have gum contouring if I have gum disease?

No, not until the disease is treated. Cosmetic reshaping on inflamed or infected tissue does not hold, and it can make the problem worse. Gum health comes first, then the cosmetic step. The American Dental Association outlines the treatments used for periodontitis, including surgery for advanced cases.

Related Services

The information on this page is provided to help you understand gum disease and the general services Dr. Goodman provides. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or individualized treatment. (For personalized guidance, please schedule an appointment with our licensed dental professional.)

Choose Your Dentist Wisely