Gingivectomy and gingivoplasty

Gingivectomy is the name of the procedure aimed at optimizing the gum-line above the teeth (the gingiva). This is achieved by cutting and removing part of the gums. It is a procedure, which in former times was used primarily to treat periodontal states i.e. diseases, but which has recently become more and more used in aesthetic dentistry. The procedure of gingivectomy is usually combined with gingivoplasty, i.e. the reshaping of the gums. A well known situation which is solved with gingivectomy and gingivoplasty is the so-called ‘gummy smile’.