Soft tissue laser treatment at Tooth n Care

Laser Dentistry

Gum work with less fuss

A soft tissue laser reshapes and treats gum tissue with a focused beam of light instead of a blade — usually meaning less bleeding, no stitches and quicker healing.

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When It’s Needed

What we use the laser for

A gummy smile, where gum covers more of the front teeth than you’d like
Crown lengthening, exposing more tooth so a crown or filling has something to hold
Uneven gum levels that make otherwise good teeth look irregular
A tight lip or tongue frenulum restricting movement (frenectomy)
Folds of tissue irritated by a denture edge
Small soft tissue overgrowths, including a gum flap over a partly erupted wisdom tooth

At The Appointment

What actually happens

01/

Assessment

We check gum health, measure how much tissue can safely be reshaped, and take photographs. For crown lengthening we also check where the bone sits, since the laser only addresses soft tissue.

02/

Comfort

Depending on the procedure, topical or local anaesthetic. Some very small laser procedures genuinely need neither — but if you’d rather be numb, we’ll numb you.

03/

The procedure

The laser removes or reshapes tissue precisely, sealing small blood vessels as it goes. You may notice a warm sensation and a distinctive smell. Most procedures take 10 to 30 minutes.

04/

Finishing

Usually no sutures are needed. We check the shape with you in a mirror before you leave, and give written aftercare.

Afterwards

Recovery & aftercare

Mild tenderness for a day or two, usually less than after conventional gum surgery.
Avoid hot, spicy or crunchy food for 24 hours.
Brush gently around the area but don’t neglect it — keeping it clean speeds healing.
Warm salt-water rinses from the next day.
Gums take a few weeks to settle into their final shape, so don’t judge the result on day two.
Avoid alcohol-based mouthwash while healing.

Gum contouring using a soft tissue laser at Tooth n Care

Alternatives We’d Also Discuss

Other ways to go

Conventional gum surgery

A scalpel and sutures remain the right choice where bone must be reshaped or wider access is needed. Slightly longer healing, and sometimes the only way.

Orthodontics or veneers

A gummy smile is sometimes better addressed by moving teeth or changing their proportions rather than trimming gum. We’ll say which applies.

Treating the cause

Gum overgrowth is occasionally driven by medication or inflammation. Fixing that first can reduce or remove the need for surgery at all.

Risks & Considerations

The honest downsides

No treatment is risk-free, and you should hear this before you decide rather than afterwards.

Laser treatment addresses soft tissue only. If bone needs reshaping — common in crown lengthening — conventional surgery is still required.
Removing too much gum causes permanent recession and root sensitivity, so how much can be taken is dictated by biology, not by preference.
Results depend on healthy underlying gum. Active gum disease is treated first.
Gum can regrow, particularly where the original cause — medication, inflammation, poor cleaning — is still present.
"Often no anaesthetic" is not the same as never. It depends on the procedure and on you, and we won’t push you to go without.
Temporary sensitivity around treated areas is common while healing.

Cost & health funds

Cost varies considerably with the size and complexity of the area treated. Where laser work is functional — crown lengthening or a frenectomy — health funds usually rebate. Purely cosmetic gum contouring generally attracts little or no rebate, and we’ll tell you which yours is before you commit.

Fees & payment plans →

Get a written plan

Before anything starts you’ll have a written treatment plan with costs, inclusions and any conditions spelled out, plus an estimate of your health fund rebate checked at the desk.

Book an assessment →

This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for personalised advice from a registered dental practitioner. Any dental or surgical procedure carries risks. Individual results vary. Before proceeding with treatment we encourage you to ask questions and, if you wish, seek a second opinion from a qualified health practitioner.