If your smile shows more gum than you'd like, or your teeth look short and stubby, laser gingivectomy can often help. At Kentfield Dental, Dr. Soroush Ghaffarpour ("Dr. G") uses a precise diode laser to gently reshape and remove excess gum tissue, revealing more of your natural tooth and evening out the gumline. The result is designed to look balanced and natural, not "done." Because not every gummy smile is caused by extra gum tissue, Dr. G always evaluates the underlying cause first. For patients in Kentfield and across Marin County, it's one of the more conservative, comfortable ways to refine a smile, frequently in a single visit and often paired with veneers or whitening for a complete makeover.
What is a gummy smile and laser gingivectomy?
A "gummy smile" simply means more gum tissue shows than feels balanced when you smile, or that your teeth look shorter than they really are. The clinical term is excessive gingival display. A laser gingivectomy treats it by precisely removing or reshaping excess gum tissue along the gumline, exposing more of the natural tooth so your smile looks more even and proportioned. When the gum is reshaped to better frame the teeth, it's sometimes described as soft-tissue crown lengthening.
It's important to be honest about cause, because gummy smiles have several. Some are due to extra gum tissue covering otherwise healthy teeth, which is the ideal situation for gingivectomy. Others stem from how the teeth and jaw erupted, a hyperactive or short upper lip, or skeletal factors of the jaw itself, which may call for additional or entirely different treatment. That's why Dr. G evaluates what's actually causing your gummy smile before recommending a plan, rather than assuming one solution fits everyone.
How we treat gummy smiles at Kentfield Dental
Aesthetics-first, conservative, and comfortable is how Dr. G approaches every gummy-smile case. We start by understanding what you'd like to change and, just as important, why your gumline looks the way it does. Using our MouthWatch intraoral camera and digital photos, Dr. G assesses whether excess gum tissue is the cause, or whether tooth eruption, your lip, or jaw structure is involved, so the plan actually addresses the real issue.
When gingivectomy is the right call, the diode laser reshapes the gumline with precision while sealing tissue as it works, which is why it's often associated with minimal bleeding and frequently little or no need for sutures. Because this fits our fully digital, in-house Kentfield workflow, we can refine the gumline and then design veneers or same-day crowns to frame your new smile, often in a streamlined set of visits rather than a drawn-out series.
- Diode soft-tissue laser for precise gum recontouring — designed for minimal bleeding and often little or no need for sutures
- MouthWatch intraoral camera so you can see your gumline before and after, and understand the cause
- 3Shape digital scanning — no goopy molds — to capture the reshaped gumline for any cosmetic work
- CEREC same-day crowns and digital smile design when a fuller makeover is part of the plan
- Cause-first evaluation to distinguish excess gum tissue from eruption, lip, or skeletal factors
- Dr. G is Spanish-speaking and known for a calm, reassuring chairside manner
Why patients choose us for this
More balanced gumline
Precisely reshaping excess gum tissue can reveal more of your natural teeth, helping a gummy smile look more even and proportioned.
Minimal bleeding
The diode laser seals small blood vessels as it reshapes, so treatment is often calmer and cleaner than traditional gum surgery.
Frequently no sutures
Because the laser shapes and seals tissue at once, many gingivectomy cases heal without stitches, which can mean simpler aftercare.
Comfortable and precise
A focused beam lets Dr. G sculpt the gumline exactly where needed while preserving healthy tissue, and most patients find the visit comfortable.
Often a single visit
When excess gum tissue is the cause, the reshaping can frequently be completed in one appointment in our Kentfield office.
Pairs with a full makeover
We can refine the gumline and then add veneers or whitening in our in-house digital workflow for a cohesive, natural-looking result.
What to expect
Consultation and cause-first exam
Dr. G examines your gums, teeth, and lip movement, often using our MouthWatch camera so you can see what he sees. He identifies whether excess gum tissue, eruption, your lip, or jaw structure is driving the gummy smile.
Smile design and planning
If gingivectomy fits, we map out the new gumline and check how it will frame your teeth. When a fuller makeover is the goal, we plan veneers or same-day crowns into the same digital workflow.
Precise laser recontouring
We numb the area for your comfort, then use the diode laser to gently reshape the excess gum tissue. The sealing action often means minimal bleeding, and many cases need no sutures.
Easy aftercare and follow-up
Because many gingivectomy cases heal without stitches, recovery is usually straightforward. We provide clear written aftercare, check your healing, and coordinate any cosmetic work that follows.
Is laser gingivectomy right for you?
Laser gingivectomy is often a good option for Marin patients whose gummy smile is caused by excess gum tissue covering healthy teeth, but the right plan always depends on what's actually behind your gumline. During a consultation in our Kentfield office, Dr. G examines your gums, teeth, and how your lip moves when you smile, then recommends gingivectomy only when it genuinely addresses the cause. If eruption, a hyperactive lip, or skeletal factors are involved, he'll explain honestly which additional or alternative treatment would serve you better.
- Your smile shows excess gum tissue and you'd like a more balanced gumline
- Your teeth look short or stubby because gum tissue covers part of them
- You have an uneven gumline you'd like evened out for a more symmetrical smile
- You're planning veneers or crowns and want the gumline refined first
- You're an anxious or comfort-focused patient wanting a gentler, laser-based approach
Frequently asked questions
Gummy smiles have several causes. Some are due to excess gum tissue covering otherwise healthy teeth, which is ideal for laser gingivectomy. Others stem from how the teeth and jaw erupted, a hyperactive or short upper lip, or skeletal factors of the jaw, which may need additional or different treatment. Dr. G evaluates the cause first before recommending a plan.
Most patients find laser gum recontouring very comfortable, and we numb the area first. The diode laser is gentle and precise, and because it seals tissue as it works, many people experience minimal bleeding and swelling — though everyone heals differently. Dr. G is known for a calm, reassuring approach with anxious patients.
When excess gum tissue is the cause, laser gingivectomy can frequently be completed in a single visit in our Kentfield office. If your gummy smile involves tooth eruption, your lip, or jaw structure, or you're combining it with veneers or whitening, your plan may involve more than one appointment.
When excess gum tissue is removed and the gumline is healthy, results are typically stable, though gum tissue is living and can change over time. Good oral hygiene and regular checkups help maintain your result. Because outcomes vary by individual and cause, Dr. G will discuss what to realistically expect in your case.
Laser gingivectomy reshapes and removes excess gum tissue along the gumline. Soft-tissue crown lengthening is a closely related idea — exposing more of the natural tooth so it looks longer and better proportioned. Some cases also involve the bone underneath, which Dr. G will evaluate and explain during your consultation.
Yes. Reshaping the gumline first and then adding veneers or whitening is a common way to achieve a full smile makeover. In our fully digital, in-house Kentfield workflow, Dr. G can refine the gumline and design veneers or same-day crowns to frame your new smile, often in a streamlined set of visits.
Yes — Kentfield Dental offers laser gingivectomy at 1100 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Suite 1 in Kentfield, serving patients across Marin including Greenbrae, Larkspur, Ross, San Anselmo, Mill Valley, Tiburon, and San Rafael. Call (415) 456-5402 to schedule a consultation.