Have you ever heard the song “You’re Never Fully Dressed without a Smile”? It’s from the Broadway classic Annie, but there was a catchy remake of it done by the pop singer Sia for the 2014 movie version, which was released as a single. Part of Sia’s music video was filmed not far from of Dr. Stuart J. Froum’s office, which is appropriate considering Dr. Froum works hard to help his patients put their best smiles on before they head out into the streets of NYC.
Dr. Froum is a board-certified periodontist with a private practice in Manhattan, and a clinical professor of Periodontics and Implants at the New York University Dental Center, who performs both medically necessary and cosmetic dental surgeries. He is the recipient of the prestigious 2016 Master Clinician award from the American Academy of Periodontology given to only one dentist in the United States each year.
Rebuilding Lost Gums
When gum tissue recedes, it makes you more susceptible to root cavities and can cause sensitivity to heat and cold. Gum recession also causes teeth to look longer, and you to look older (hence the expression long in the tooth).
Dr. Froum regularly performs periodontal plastic surgery designed to rebuild lost gum. During these procedures, he uses gum grafts from other areas of your mouth or from live cell substitutes to reduce recession and cover exposed, unsightly roots.
Esthetic Gum Contouring
On the opposite side of the gum problem spectrum are folks with an overgrowth or overabundance of gum tissue. A “gummy smile” makes your teeth look smaller and less attractive, and can also cause problems for people who need medically necessary dental work done. Dr. Froum performs both cosmetic contouring and functional contouring of gums, often referred to a crown lengthening, at his office.
A purely cosmetic crown lengthening procedure to correct a “gummy smile” or short teeth is often done prior to the application of veneers or laminates to help produce proper teeth length and shape.
Functional crown lengthening is done so that medically necessary dental work can be properly completed. A tooth that is broken or decayed below the gum line is difficult, if not impossible, for your dentist to restore properly and often has to be removed. If enough space is not present, the filling or cap could trap bacteria, leading to both bone loss and/or the return of decay. Removing or repositioning the gum tissue to expose more of the normal tooth structure allows the dentist to properly restore the damaged or diseased tooth with a crown, veneer or filling.
No matter what the motive for the procedure, the ultimate goal is the same — reshaping the gum tissue to show more of the natural teeth and produce a beautiful smile.
Correcting Muscle Pulls
A frenectomy is a simple surgical procedure performed to release the connection of the “frenum,” a connective muscle between two tissues.
Pocket Reduction Procedures
Pocket Depth Reduction is a procedure used to smooth and reshape affected bone under the gum tissue. This procedure is performed when a pocket around a tooth (or teeth) has not responded to other treatments. It creates a shallow pocket making it difficult for bacteria to survive and damage bone, resulting in bone loss and ultimately, tooth loss.
Bone Regenerative Rebuilding Procedures
Bone Regeneration is a periodontal surgical procedure that regenerates jaw bone and surrounding tissue. This procedure is often performed to protect your existing teeth and the tissues that keep them in place from bacterial plaque. The gingival tissue is folded back to remove the disease-causing bacteria. Membranes, bone grafts or tissue-stimulating proteins can be used to encourage the body’s natural ability to regenerate bone and tissue.