Gingivectomy vs. Gingivoplasty: Which Procedure Is Right for You?

A beautiful smile starts with healthy gums, but sometimes great brushing and flossing just aren’t enough. If your gums are uneven, overgrown, or hiding too much of your teeth, a gingivectomy or gingivoplasty may be necessary to correct the issue.

Ready to find out which option is right for your smile? Keep reading to learn the key differences, or call us today to schedule an appointment with our periodontist to have an expert halp you decide!

In this blog post, you’ll learn about:

• A gingivectomy vs. a gingivoplasty
• The pros and cons of gingivectomy vs. gingivoplasty
• What to expect during each treatment
• How 209 NYC Dental can help you choose the best option

Key Differences Between Gingivoplasty and Gingivectomy

Though similar these two procedures vary a lot from the purpose to execution and even outcome.

Gingivoplasty vs Gingivectomy At a Glance

Feature	Gingivectomy (Gum Removal)	Gingivoplasty (Gum Reshaping)
Main Goal	To fix a health problem. (Remove diseased or excess gum tissue that’s making you sick or hard to clean.)	To improve the look of your smile. (Reshape healthy gums to look more balanced or less “gummy.”)
When It’s Needed	When you have gum disease (pockets) or gums that have grown too big (maybe because of medicine).	When your gums are healthy but look uneven, or when you have a “gummy smile.”
Health or Looks?	Mostly a medical necessity (you need it to be healthy).	Mostly cosmetic (you choose it to look better).
What It Does	Gets rid of unhealthy gum tissue and shrinks deep pockets around the teeth.	Sculpts and smoothes the edges of the gums to create a better shape.
Insurance Coverage	Usually covered by dental insurance because it’s a health treatment.	Often not covered because it’s elective (by choice) for appearance.
Recovery Time	A bit longer (might take a couple of weeks to fully heal).	Usually shorter (you feel better in just a few days).

 

Why choose Gingivectomy vs Gingivoplasty?

GINGIVECTOMY: A periodontist provides a gingivectomy for patients dealing with advanced gum disease.

This procedure:

• Reduces pocket depth
• Makes it easier to clean the area
• Helps protects teeth and the underlying bone

GINGIVOPLASTY: On the other hand, a gingivoplasty helps improve the appearance of your smile. This surgery is often recommended for patients with “gummy smiles”. Gum Specialist reshapes the gums to even out the contours of your gums. Additionally it can also uncover teeth roots that are covered up too much.

One is a medical necessity. The other is usually elective and cosmetic. Understanding the difference between gingivoplasty and gingivectomy can help you determine which procedure is best suited for you.

Mechanism of action and how it differs between two treatments

GINGIVECTOMY: A surgical incision is made to completely cut away and eliminate all of the diseased, loose, or excess gum tissue that forms a periodontal pocket (the gap between the tooth and the gum).

GINGIVOPLASTY: A fine, precise shaving, smoothing or sculpting of the gum’s surface is performed to reshape the tissue, not to remove a deep pocket wall.

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The Pros and Cons of Gingivectomy vs. Gingivoplasty

Each dental procedure has benefits and trade-offs. What are their advantages and drawbacks?

Here’s more info:

Benefits of a Gigivectomy:

• Removes diseased tissue
• Lowers infection risk
• Can make brushing and flossing easier
• May preserve teeth

Drawbacks:

• Recovery times can be lengthy (depending on how much tissue was removed)
• Can cause temporary post-procedure discomfort

Advantages of a Gingivoplasty:

• Creates a balanced gumline
• Improves smiles
• No teeth alteration is required
• Short recovery time

Disadvantages:

• Insurance providers don’t always cover it
• Won’t treat underlying gum disease

When weighing the pros and cons of gingivectomy vs. gingivoplasty, the key question to ask yourself: are you fixing a health problem or changing your look? If it’s health, you need a gingivectomy. If it’s your looks, you need a gingivoplasty.

What to Expect During Treatment

Although they serve different purposes, both procedures are performed in a dental office under local anesthesia. Patients are awake but comfortable, and both methods are relatively quick.

The similar steps include:

1. Applying numbing medication
2. Removing gum tissue
3. Cleaning and shaping the affected area
4. Applying a protective dressing

After either treatment, your dentist may prescribe a mouth rinse. This mouthwash helps prevent infection. Most people can return to work and other everyday activities quickly. However, complete healing in either case takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Gingivectomy, a deeper diver

The goal of the treatment is to remove the bad or extra gum tissue. The main indications for a gingivectomy include:

• Moderate to advanced gum disease
• Deep periodontal pockets
• Your gums are swollen or overgrown and make cleaning hard (sometimes caused by medicine)

The benefit: With excess tissue removed it makes it much easier for patients to keep their teeth clean and lowers the chance of losing bone or teeth later on.

Healing can take a bit longer than cosmetic reshaping, but the trade-off is lasting protection for your smile. Worth it.

Insurance coverage: Since this treatment is medically necessary many insurance plans provide partial coverage.

What is Gingivoplasty

This treatment is recommended when your gums are healthy, but your smile can be enhanced by reshaping contours of the gum line.

Common reasons to choose a gingivoplasty include:

• Correcting a gummy smile, where too much gum shows
• Evening out the gumline, where gum line is not symmetrical
• Creating a healthier, more balanced look by removing overgrown or uneven gum tissue

BENEFIT: Unlike gingivectomy, gingivoplasty is typically an elective procedure, but it comes with a major benefit of improved smile and self-esteem.

RECOVERY: Another difference between a gingivoplasty and a gingivectomy is the recovery time. Patients typically recover more quickly from cosmetic reshaping, experiencing mild tenderness that usually improves within a few days.

INSURANCE COVERAGE: Since it is mostly done for cosmetic reasons, sending for pre-approval to the insurance company for gingivoplasty is highly advised. The pre-approval will let you know if your insurance will cover the procedure and, if so, what percentage.

Learn More at 209 NYC Dental

Still unsure which procedure is correct for you? The best step is to consult with the qualified dental professionals at 209 NYC Dental.

At 209 NYC Dental, our skilled gum specialists explain the differences between gingivoplasty and gingivectomy, practical benefits of each procedure, taking into account your personal goals. By weighing the medical indications alongside aesthetic preference. After the consultation you’ll have the clarity to make an informed decision of what treatment you need, gingivectomy or. gingivoplasty.

Contact us today to learn more about the differences between gingivectomy and gingivoplasty.

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