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Gum reshaping — also called gingival contouring — is the process of sculpting the gum tissue to create a more balanced, symmetrical, and aesthetically pleasing gum line. It can involve removing small amounts of gum tissue to expose more of the tooth, or repositioning the gum line to correct asymmetry.
The procedure is precise, quick, and far more comfortable than most patients expect.
Dr. Kriston uses a dental laser to perform all gum reshaping procedures. Laser contouring offers several significant advantages over traditional surgical methods:
Local anesthetic is used to ensure you’re completely comfortable during the procedure. Most gum reshaping procedures are completed in a single visit of 30 to 60 minutes, and the results are visible immediately.
An attractive smile has balance. The gum line ideally reveals teeth in the same way on both sides of your smile. When the gums cover more of one tooth versus its mirror twin on the other side, it undermines the harmony of your smile — even when the teeth themselves are healthy and well-shaped.
Reshaping the gum line to create symmetry between matching teeth is one of the most common and impactful gum contouring procedures. Often, the adjustment is subtle — a millimeter or less — but the visual impact is significant. Patients frequently say the change makes their smile look “right” for the first time, even though they couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong before.
A gummy smile is one that shows a disproportionate amount of gum tissue relative to the teeth when you smile. The teeth may actually be a normal size, but they appear short or small because the gums cover too much of them.
A gum lift addresses this by moving the entire gum line upward, reducing the amount of gum visible in your smile while making the teeth appear longer. For patients with both a gummy smile and teeth that are genuinely small or short, the combination of a gum lift with veneers or bonding creates a dramatic transformation — revealing more tooth surface and then enhancing the teeth that are now visible.
Worn teeth can also benefit from a gum lift. If your teeth have lost length from grinding or general wear, lifting the gum line can restore the appearance of longer teeth and create a more youthful smile proportion.
Some teeth appear small or short not because they actually are, but because they haven’t fully erupted from the jawbone. The tooth is a normal size beneath the surface — it’s just covered by excess gum tissue. This condition is called passive eruption, and it’s more common than most patients realize.
Crown lengthening is the procedure to correct it. Dr. Kriston removes the gum tissue (and sometimes a small amount of bone) that’s covering the hidden portion of the tooth, exposing the full natural crown. The result is teeth that are wider and longer — their true size, revealed for the first time.
Crown lengthening is frequently done before veneers in smile makeover cases. By revealing the full tooth first, Dr. Kriston can design the veneers to the ideal proportions rather than working with the limited tooth surface that was visible before.
This sequencing matters. Designing veneers before correcting the gum line is like framing a painting before the canvas is the right size. Getting the gums right first means everything that follows — the veneers, the bonding, the whitening — is built on the right foundation.
Gum reshaping also pairs naturally with cosmetic tooth reshaping. While Dr. Kriston sculpts the gum tissue to reveal more tooth, he can simultaneously contour the enamel to refine the tooth shape. Between the two, subtle adjustments to both the frame and the picture create results that are greater than the sum of their parts.
Gum reshaping is not painful. Dr. Kriston uses local anesthetic so you feel nothing during the procedure, and the dental laser makes the process significantly more comfortable than traditional surgical methods.
The procedure itself is quick. Simple gum contouring to correct asymmetry between a few teeth may take 15 to 30 minutes. A more extensive gum lift affecting the full smile typically takes 30 to 60 minutes. Either way, you’ll see the results immediately.
Recovery from laser gum reshaping is notably fast. Because the laser cauterizes as it works, there’s minimal bleeding and the tissue begins healing right away. Most patients experience mild soreness for a day or two — manageable with over-the-counter pain relief — and are back to normal eating within a few days. There’s no suturing and no surgical packing.
For patients who feel anxious about any dental procedure, Dr. Kriston holds a California oral conscious sedation permit. Sedation is available for gum reshaping if you’d like an even more relaxed experience.
You may be a good candidate for gum reshaping or a gum lift if:
Gum reshaping requires healthy gum tissue. If you have active gum disease, Dr. Kriston will recommend treating the disease first before any cosmetic gum work. During your consultation, he’ll evaluate your gum health, bone levels, and overall oral condition to determine whether reshaping, a gum lift, or crown lengthening is appropriate.
Gum reshaping looks simple on the surface, but it requires a deep understanding of smile design principles — symmetry, proportion, zenith placement, and how the gum line interacts with tooth shape and lip movement. Not every dentist who offers gum contouring approaches it with this level of aesthetic analysis.
Dr. Kriston brings 38 years of cosmetic dentistry experience to every gum reshaping case. He doesn’t just remove tissue to “fix” a gummy smile — he evaluates the entire smile design, determines where each gingival zenith should sit, and sculpts the tissue with a laser to create the exact framework that will make your teeth look their best.
Because our practice also offers veneers, bonding, teeth whitening, cosmetic tooth reshaping, and implant restorations, Dr. Kriston can address every element of your smile in one office. If your gums need reshaping, your teeth need veneers, and your smile needs whitening, the entire plan is designed and executed by one doctor with one vision — and the gum work is integrated seamlessly into the larger makeover.
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By far the best dentist I’ve had! Extremely thoughtful in his work, taking time to explain the reasoning behind decisions and will even show you the details of what is going on with your teeth through a micro camera. I had a few significant issues with my teeth, and Michael was the first of four dentists I had seen to provide a thoughtful long term solution in the least invasive way possible. He is truly concerned with the health and function of your teeth and gums, and is extremely skilled to implement great solutions. Would highly recommend.
I had my first visit with Dr. Kriston and had the best experience in a dental office, by far. I was looking for a dentist to revamp my smile and a friend recommended Dr. Kriston. Dr. Kriston spent a lot of time listening to my vision and together we came up with a plan for my smile that I'm very happy with. Everyone in the office was friendly, helpful and welcoming. My bar was set high and Dr. Kriston went well above it with his knowledge, recommendations and real understanding of my situation.
The office is beautiful, modern and spotless. They have relaxing music playing throughout that right away made me feel calm. The front receptionist is very attentive and supportive; she answered all my questions and clearly explained the cost and my insurance. I qualified for an interest free payment plan and was able to afford my dream smile.
I just had to write this review because I'm so happy I found Dr. Kriston. I've been self conscious about my teeth for years and I just couldn't find a dentist I felt this good about. I highly recommend Dr. Kriston.
Clean, professional, and easy to use. Velora gave my agency the polished online presence it needed."
Clean, professional, and easy to use. Velora gave my agency the polished online presence it needed."
Clean, professional, and easy to use. Velora gave my agency the polished online presence it needed."
Clean, professional, and easy to use. Velora gave my agency the polished online presence it needed."
By far the best dentist I’ve had! Extremely thoughtful in his work, taking time to explain the reasoning behind decisions and will even show you the details of what is going on with your teeth through a micro camera. I had a few significant issues with my teeth, and Michael was the first of four dentists I had seen to provide a thoughtful long term solution in the least invasive way possible. He is truly concerned with the health and function of your teeth and gums, and is extremely skilled to implement great solutions. Would highly recommend.
I had my first visit with Dr. Kriston and had the best experience in a dental office, by far. I was looking for a dentist to revamp my smile and a friend recommended Dr. Kriston. Dr. Kriston spent a lot of time listening to my vision and together we came up with a plan for my smile that I'm very happy with. Everyone in the office was friendly, helpful and welcoming. My bar was set high and Dr. Kriston went well above it with his knowledge, recommendations and real understanding of my situation.
The office is beautiful, modern and spotless. They have relaxing music playing throughout that right away made me feel calm. The front receptionist is very attentive and supportive; she answered all my questions and clearly explained the cost and my insurance. I qualified for an interest free payment plan and was able to afford my dream smile.
I just had to write this review because I'm so happy I found Dr. Kriston. I've been self conscious about my teeth for years and I just couldn't find a dentist I felt this good about. I highly recommend Dr. Kriston.
By far the best dentist I’ve had! Extremely thoughtful in his work, taking time to explain the reasoning behind decisions and will even show you the details of what is going on with your teeth through a micro camera. I had a few significant issues with my teeth, and Michael was the first of four dentists I had seen to provide a thoughtful long term solution in the least invasive way possible. He is truly concerned with the health and function of your teeth and gums, and is extremely skilled to implement great solutions. Would highly recommend.
I had my first visit with Dr. Kriston and had the best experience in a dental office, by far. I was looking for a dentist to revamp my smile and a friend recommended Dr. Kriston. Dr. Kriston spent a lot of time listening to my vision and together we came up with a plan for my smile that I'm very happy with. Everyone in the office was friendly, helpful and welcoming. My bar was set high and Dr. Kriston went well above it with his knowledge, recommendations and real understanding of my situation.
The office is beautiful, modern and spotless. They have relaxing music playing throughout that right away made me feel calm. The front receptionist is very attentive and supportive; she answered all my questions and clearly explained the cost and my insurance. I qualified for an interest free payment plan and was able to afford my dream smile.
I just had to write this review because I'm so happy I found Dr. Kriston. I've been self conscious about my teeth for years and I just couldn't find a dentist I felt this good about. I highly recommend Dr. Kriston.
By far the best dentist I’ve had! Extremely thoughtful in his work, taking time to explain the reasoning behind decisions and will even show you the details of what is going on with your teeth through a micro camera. I had a few significant issues with my teeth, and Michael was the first of four dentists I had seen to provide a thoughtful long term solution in the least invasive way possible. He is truly concerned with the health and function of your teeth and gums, and is extremely skilled to implement great solutions. Would highly recommend.
I had my first visit with Dr. Kriston and had the best experience in a dental office, by far. I was looking for a dentist to revamp my smile and a friend recommended Dr. Kriston. Dr. Kriston spent a lot of time listening to my vision and together we came up with a plan for my smile that I'm very happy with. Everyone in the office was friendly, helpful and welcoming. My bar was set high and Dr. Kriston went well above it with his knowledge, recommendations and real understanding of my situation.
The office is beautiful, modern and spotless. They have relaxing music playing throughout that right away made me feel calm. The front receptionist is very attentive and supportive; she answered all my questions and clearly explained the cost and my insurance. I qualified for an interest free payment plan and was able to afford my dream smile.
I just had to write this review because I'm so happy I found Dr. Kriston. I've been self conscious about my teeth for years and I just couldn't find a dentist I felt this good about. I highly recommend Dr. Kriston.
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