Gingival Aesthetics
The role of healthy, well-contoured gum tissue in smile appearance.
Gingival aesthetics is a critical but often overlooked component of smile design. The ideal gum architecture features: symmetrical gum levels between corresponding teeth, scalloped margins following the cementoenamel junction, pointed interdental papillae filling the spaces between teeth, and a gum line that's highest on the canines and central incisors with lateral incisors slightly lower. Common gingival aesthetic problems include gummy smile (excessive gum display), uneven gum levels, recession exposing root surfaces, and black triangles (missing interdental papillae). Treatment options include crown lengthening surgery (reduces excess gum), soft tissue grafting (covers recession), lip repositioning (for gummy smile), Botox injection (temporary gummy smile correction), and hyaluronic acid filler (rebuilds interdental papillae). Pink aesthetics (gum appearance) must complement white aesthetics (tooth appearance) for optimal results.