Gingivoplasty is a dental procedure that reshapes healthy gum tissue to improve the appearance or contour of your gumline. It’s most commonly performed as a cosmetic treatment for people who feel their smile shows too much gum, a look sometimes called a “gummy smile.” Unlike procedures that treat gum disease, gingivoplasty is about sculpting tissue that’s already healthy into a more even, balanced shape.
What Gingivoplasty Treats
The most common reason people get gingivoplasty is cosmetic. If your gums cover too much of your teeth or sit unevenly across your smile, the procedure trims and reshapes that tissue so more of each tooth is visible. The result is a gumline that looks more proportional.
Gingivoplasty can also be part of a broader treatment plan. After gum disease treatment, some people are left with irregular or pocketed gum tissue that traps bacteria. Reshaping those areas makes the gums easier to clean and less prone to future problems. It’s sometimes performed alongside other periodontal surgeries or as a finishing step after orthodontic treatment.
Gingivoplasty vs. Gingivectomy
These two terms sound similar and are often performed together, but they address different problems. A gingivectomy removes diseased gum tissue, typically to treat periodontal pockets that haven’t responded to less invasive cleaning. A gingivoplasty reshapes otherwise healthy gum tissue, primarily for cosmetic or functional contouring. Think of gingivectomy as removal and gingivoplasty as sculpting. In many cases, a dentist will perform both during the same appointment: removing diseased tissue first, then reshaping what remains for a smooth, natural contour.
How the Procedure Works
Gingivoplasty is typically done in a single office visit. Your dentist or periodontist numbs the area with local anesthesia, then uses one of several tools to trim and reshape the gum tissue. Traditional gingivoplasty uses a scalpel, but many practices now offer laser or electrocautery (heat-based) options.
Laser gingivoplasty is often marketed as having less bleeding, less swelling, and faster healing than other methods. In practice, the differences are minimal. A comparative study published in ScienceDirect found no significant difference in postoperative pain, healing outcomes, or ease of use between diode laser and electrocautery techniques. Both approaches are effective, so the tool your dentist prefers is less important than their experience with it.
The procedure itself is relatively quick. For a few teeth, it can take as little as 15 to 30 minutes. A full-smile reshaping takes longer but is still typically completed in one visit.
Who Is a Good Candidate
The best candidates have healthy gums and are looking for cosmetic improvement, or have uneven tissue after periodontal treatment. Your overall health matters too. Age plays a role in planning: in patients over 45, the upper lip naturally loses some tone, which can affect how much gum is visible when smiling. This means results may shift over time, and your dentist should factor that into the treatment plan.
Facial structure also matters. People with longer faces tend to show more gum tissue when they smile, and less invasive reshaping techniques may not produce lasting results for them. A more comprehensive approach, sometimes involving the bone underneath the gums, might be recommended instead.
Recovery and Aftercare
Recovery takes about a week overall. Most people return to work or school within a day or two, though you’ll want to keep physical activity light during that first week. Swelling, bruising, and tooth sensitivity are normal and typically fade within three to four days.
What you eat matters during healing. Stick to soft foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, and cooked vegetables. Avoid anything crunchy, spicy, or acidic that could irritate the surgical site.
Keeping the area clean is important but requires a gentle touch. Brush the surgical site lightly and rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash. Brush and floss all your other teeth normally. Resist the urge to touch the healing gums with your fingers or tongue, even if the area feels strange. Disturbing it can slow healing and affect the final result.
Side Effects and Risks
Gingivoplasty is a low-risk procedure. The most common side effects, swelling, bruising, and sensitivity, are temporary and expected. Infection is possible with any surgical procedure but uncommon when you follow aftercare instructions. Signs to watch for include increasing pain after the first few days, persistent bleeding, or discharge from the surgical site.
One thing to be aware of: gum tissue can sometimes grow back after reshaping, particularly if the underlying bone wasn’t adjusted. If your dentist recommends a procedure that includes bone contouring (called crown lengthening), it’s because this gives a more permanent result in certain cases.
Cost and Insurance
Gingivoplasty costs vary widely depending on how many teeth are involved and where you live. To give a rough sense of scale, Maryland’s 2025 Medicaid fee schedule lists reimbursement at $25 for one to three teeth per quadrant and $108 for four or more teeth per quadrant. Private practice fees are typically higher than Medicaid rates, often ranging from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars depending on the extent of the work.
Insurance coverage depends on why the procedure is being done. If gingivoplasty is medically necessary, for example to reshape tissue after gum disease treatment, dental insurance is more likely to cover part of the cost. Purely cosmetic gingivoplasty is generally not covered. It’s worth calling your insurance provider before scheduling to find out what documentation they need and whether your case qualifies for any reimbursement.