Do gums grow back?

Question

Couple of weeks ago i removed my braces, my teeth looked great till i had them cleaned, i now have gaps, big and small. i am aware that it could be due to build up of tartar/plaque but im really worried about how large one of the gaps is hence do you know if my gum will grow back and fill up the space? how long should i wait before getting it fixed - ie bonding? thank you

Sarah Thompson, DMD · Answer

Based on your description, it is not probable that your gums will fill in the spaces between your teeth.  Gums don't generally grow that extensively unless you are on a medication that has gum overgrowth as a side effect.  I would recommend getting dental bonding or veneers to cover these spaces as soon as possible, so that your retainer can be made to fit your veneered or bonding teeth.  I hope this helps.   Sarah Thompson, DMD

George Tsangaroulis, DDS · Answer

That's a great question, you may want to wait a minimum of 8-12 weeks to see how your gums heal before you decide.  Most likely they will not grow back, but it might be worth the wait, time permitting of course.  It is important to keep up with your daily home care routine, ie flossing, proxabrushes, Waterpik, electric toothbrush, etc to help with healing and keep your gums healthy.  The general rule of thumb is that the contact point between teeth (where 2 adjacent teeth first meet) should be about 5 millimeters from the highest extent of the underlying bone.  This number predicts that it is likely soft tissue will grow, so you may want to have a consultation with a Periodontist (gum specialist) and give you an evaluation. Keep in mind the time it takes biologically for your teeth to become stable in bone after orthodontics is approximately 6 months, meaning that there a high potential for them to shift in that time period.  So it is also important to have and wear a retainer daily as instructed by your Orthodontist.  If you want to play it safe, you may also want to consider waiting until your teeth are solid and stable (no tooth mobility) prior to committing to any cosmetic dentistry.  You would then have the option of composite bonding or porcelain veneers.  Good luck!

Norman Huefner, DDS · Answer

The gum spaces are probably the result of recession of the dental papilla (the triangular gum area). Cosmetic dentists and gums specialists call these spaces "black triangles".  My suggestion is to have immaculate oral hygiene, brushing and flossing, and give your gum tissue the time to heal.  It may take several weeks, or even several months for your gums to completely stabilize and predict what is going to happen with them.Once your gums have settled down there is a formula that can predict if the gums will come back, and that formula is dependent on the distance from the bone to the area where your teeth come together and touch.  A periodontist (gum specialist) is the best one for you to see about that.If it doesn't fill back in, unfortunately as of yet there is no surgery that will allow the papilla to become larger and fill back in.Worse case scenario, you may have to consider crowns or porcelain veneers that widen your teeth at the gum papilla to fill the gaps.You might be interested in visiting the web link below that shows examples on how cosmetic dentistry is often used to close those gaps.

Neal Nealis, DDS (retired) · Answer

Gums find a height proportional to the underlying bone.  Often when teeth are moved with braces, the gums do not fully fill the spaces between teeth because there is inadequate bone.  This leads to what dentists call the dreaded "black triangles" between the teeth.  Often the best way to deal with these black triangles is to have bonding attached to the sides of the teeth.

Do gums grow back?

Answers (4)

Answer: The height of the gums

Answer: The height of the gums

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Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Do gums grow back?

Answers (4)

Answer: The height of the gums

Answer: The height of the gums

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Dental Bonding

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.