GUM CONTOURING

Balanced Gums,Brighter Smile

Gum contouring for a smile with balanced tooth and gum proportions.

BONE CONTOURING

What Is Alveolar Bone Contouring?

Close-up of a smile showing an even gum line

The bone beneath your gum line

The alveolar bone is the bone inside the gums that surrounds the tooth roots. You can't see it, but it holds your teeth firmly in place and directly shapes the height and contour of your gums.

In a bright, natural smile, about 1–⁠3 mm of gum shows. If your gums look bulky or your gum line is uneven, alveolar bone contouring carefully reshapes both the bone and the gums for a more natural, balanced smile line.

Whether it's right for you, and how it's done, depends on the condition of your gums and bone.

Does your gum line look a little off?

01
Gummy smile
A lot of gum shows when you smile.
02
Short-looking teeth
Gums cover much of the teeth, so they look short.
03
Irregular gum line
Uneven teeth leave the gum line uneven too.
04
Overgrown gums
Gum tissue that has overgrown from inflammation or medication.
05
Tilted gum line
The bite differs left to right, so the gums look slanted.

Gum contouring vs. alveolar bone contouring

Treats
Gum contouring
Gum tissue
Alveolar bone contouring
Alveolar bone (the bone under the gums)
Method
Gum contouring
Gum tissue is trimmed with a laser
Alveolar bone contouring
Gums and bone are reshaped together
Main goal
Gum contouring
Tidy up the gum line; make short-looking teeth look longer
Alveolar bone contouring
Prevent relapse after gum contouring; reshape bone for crowns or implants
Best for
Gum contouring
Gums covering too much of the teeth; a gum line that's uneven left to right
Alveolar bone contouring
Gums that grew back after earlier trimming; bone that's bumpy or sharp
Chance of relapse
Gum contouring
Gums may creep back down depending on where the bone sits
Alveolar bone contouring
Lower, because the bone height is adjusted as well

	Gum contouring	Alveolar bone contouring
Treats	Gum tissue	Alveolar bone (the bone under the gums)
Method	Gum tissue is trimmed with a laser	Gums and bone are reshaped together
Main goal	Tidy up the gum line; make short-looking teeth look longer	Prevent relapse after gum contouring; reshape bone for crowns or implants
Best for	Gums covering too much of the teeth; a gum line that's uneven left to right	Gums that grew back after earlier trimming; bone that's bumpy or sharp
Chance of relapse	Gums may creep back down depending on where the bone sits	Lower, because the bone height is adjusted as well

Who it's for

Protruding bone that makes the gums look thick and bulky
Gums that cover much of the teeth, so the teeth look small
Too much gum showing when you smile
An uneven or lopsided gum line
Gum issues that returned after gum contouring, or remained after orthodontics
Cosmetic treatment ahead that calls for better gum or bone contours

TREATMENT

How Treatment Works

With bone contouring, understanding why it's needed comes before deciding how much to lift the gums.

Detailed exam and diagnosis

Panoramic X-ray
What we check
Overall tooth structure and jawbone condition
CT scan
What we check
3D analysis of bone thickness, height and angle
Smile analysis
What we check
Tooth proportions, gum line and smile line
Cause of a gummy smile
What we check
Whether the cause is the gums or the bone
Photos
What we check
Photos of your natural smile before treatment, to see how much gum shows and design from there

Exam	What we check
Panoramic X-ray	Overall tooth structure and jawbone condition
CT scan	3D analysis of bone thickness, height and angle
Smile analysis	Tooth proportions, gum line and smile line
Cause of a gummy smile	Whether the cause is the gums or the bone
Photos	Photos of your natural smile before treatment, to see how much gum shows and design from there

Treatment and follow-up

1
Plan and contour
Based on the diagnosis, we talk through the plan with you before treatment. Where it helps the result look more natural, we combine it with laser gum contouring.
2
Check healing
Treatment isn't finished until aftercare is. We check gum swelling and inflammation, any sensitivity or bleeding, and how the reshaped bone is healing.
3
Laser finishing
We use the laser for small adjustments to the gum line, for a natural, balanced smile.

SoftLase Pro™ diode laser

For gum contouring we use the SoftLase Pro™ diode laser from ZAP Lasers (USA), designed for soft-tissue dental treatment.

Instead of a conventional cutting instrument, it uses laser energy to shape gum tissue precisely — useful when each tooth's length and proportion matter.

When gum contouring is combined with veneers, the laser helps us design the ratio between teeth and gums, so the whole smile line is considered, not just the teeth.

Frequently asked questions

Q.Is alveolar bone contouring the same as gum contouring?

Not quite. Gum contouring reshapes the gum tissue, while alveolar bone contouring is a surgical procedure that reshapes the bone beneath it. Depending on your condition, both may be planned together.

Q.A lot of gum shows when I smile. Is bone contouring right for me?

The cause varies from person to person. If protruding bone is the reason, bone contouring may be an option, but the gums, tooth position or jaw structure can also be involved. We confirm the cause first, then decide on the approach.

Q.Does it hurt?

Pain during treatment is controlled with local anesthesia. Afterward, some swelling, bleeding or soreness can occur; how much, and for how long, depends on the extent of treatment and the individual.

Q.I'm nervous about dental work. Can I be sedated?

If you have strong anxiety, conscious sedation (IV sedation) may be an option. We decide after reviewing your overall health, medications and the planned treatment.

Q.How long is recovery?

It depends on the extent of treatment and how quickly you heal. Swelling or discomfort is common at first and eases over time. We'll give you specific aftercare instructions following treatment.

Q.Will the result last?

The gums and surrounding tissue can shift somewhat as they heal, and long-term results vary with your tissue and home care. Careful diagnosis, the right treatment range and ongoing care all help.

TEETH WHITENING

In-Office Teeth Whitening

From the whitening gel to the light used with it, we choose every part of the process with care.

ALADDIN professional whitening light on a stand

Trinity White Gel
with the Aladdin whitening light

We use Trinity White Gel from Samil Pharmaceutical — a professional whitening gel based on 35% hydrogen peroxide, approved by Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and used in the dental office under a dentist's supervision.

It's paired with the Aladdin whitening light (DXM, Korea), a medical device that shines visible light to help the gel work. Intensity and time can be adjusted step by step to suit your teeth and the stage of whitening.