Gum contouring (gingivectomy)
Soft-tissue reshaping of one or several teeth where the bone level allows. One visit, healing within two weeks.
From £300
Gum health · Wimpole Street, Marylebone
Gum contouring in Marylebone: evening an uneven gum line by a millimetre or two
A smile is framed as much by the gum as by the teeth. When the gum sits lower on one front tooth than its partner, or creeps too far down several teeth so they look short and square, no amount of whitening or bonding corrects the impression. Gum contouring trims and reshapes the margin under local anaesthetic, usually removing only a millimetre or two, to bring the heights into symmetry and reveal tooth that was always there beneath. It takes under an hour, heals within a fortnight and is often the finishing step before veneers or bonding rather than a treatment on its own. At Wimpole Street gum contouring will start from £300, with crown lengthening, which reshapes bone as well as gum, from £600.
- From £300
- About 30–60 minutes
- Heals in 1–2 weeks
Suitability
Is it right for you?
A good fit when
- Gum heights that differ visibly between matching front teeth.
- Teeth that look short because gum covers part of the crown, provided a probe confirms there is tooth beneath.
- Gum overgrowth from certain medications or after braces, once the cause has been addressed.
- Levelling the gum line before veneers, bonding or crowns so the restorations can be made symmetrical.
- A small, localised excess where the gum has grown over the edge of a filling.
- Healthy gums with no bleeding or pockets, which is a precondition for a stable result.
Think twice, or choose another route, when
- A gummy smile caused by a short upper lip or a long upper jaw; trimming gum will not help and may expose root.
- Teeth where the excess is bone rather than gum; these need crown lengthening, not a soft-tissue trim.
- Active gum disease or heavy plaque, which must be treated first or the margin will not heal predictably.
- Thin gum tissue with little attached width, where removal risks recession.
- Expecting a large change; contouring adjusts by millimetres and the underlying bone sets the limit.
The process
How it works at Wimpole Street
- 01
Smile analysis
Photographs and measurements at rest and in a full smile record how much gum shows and where the heights differ. The dentist probes to find the bone level, which determines how much gum can safely be removed.
- 02
Marking the new line
The proposed margin is drawn on the gum, or shown on a photograph, so you can see the intended shape before anything is done. Symmetry is judged against the lip line and the tooth widths.
- 03
Anaesthetic
A small amount of local anaesthetic numbs the area. Nothing further is felt during the procedure.
- 04
Reshaping
Excess tissue is removed and the margin sculpted with a fine blade or electrosurgery, following the marked line and blending each tooth into its neighbours.
- 05
Check and finish
Heights are re-measured, symmetry checked with you sitting up, and the surface smoothed. Stitches are rarely needed for a soft-tissue trim.
- 06
Healing and review
The gum is tender for a few days and looks settled within one to two weeks. A review confirms the margin has healed where intended before any veneers or bonding are started.
Choices
Options & materials
Crown lengthening
Gum and a small amount of bone reshaped under a lifted flap where teeth are genuinely short or a restoration needs more tooth to grip. Stitches and two to three weeks of healing.
From £600
Contouring with cosmetic work
Levelling the margin six to eight weeks before veneers or bonding, so the restorations can be designed to the new gum line.
Contouring fee plus restorations
Fees
What it costs
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
Assessment New-patient rate (usual fee £95). Photographs and radiographs (£20 each). | £30 |
Gum contouring Soft-tissue reshaping; fee rises with the number of teeth. | From £300 |
Crown lengthening Gum and bone reshaping under local anaesthetic. | From £600 |
Smile design Where contouring is part of a wider cosmetic plan; credited against treatment. | £250 |
Indicative Wimpole Street fees, the same as at South Kensington and St Paul's. A written plan with the exact figure is agreed before anything is started.
Outcomes
What the result looks like
The change is visible as soon as the anaesthetic wears off: teeth that looked short appear taller, and a gum line that stepped up and down runs level from canine to canine. Once healed, the margin looks and feels like the gum it replaced, and the result is stable for as long as the bone beneath it stays put and the gums stay healthy.
The limitation is the amount. A soft-tissue trim can only go as far as the bone allows, typically one to two millimetres, before recession or exposure becomes a risk. Cases that need more are crown lengthening cases, and cases where the lip or jaw is the cause are not gum cases at all.
Afterwards
Looking after the result
- Brush the treated area very gently for a week with a soft brush; do not floss the site until told to.
- Rinse with warm salt water after meals for the first few days.
- Choose soft, cool food and avoid anything spicy, crunchy or very hot for two or three days.
- Take ordinary pain relief if needed; discomfort is usually mild and brief.
- Keep the review appointment, particularly if veneers or bonding are planned afterwards.
Informed consent
Risks and honest limitations
Every treatment has trade-offs. These are the ones we discuss at the consultation so that a decision is made with full information rather than after the fact.
- Regrowth. Gum can partially return towards its former position over the following months, occasionally needing a touch-up.
- Over-correction or asymmetry, where a margin ends up higher than intended and is hard to reverse.
- Recession beyond the planned line if too much tissue is removed or the tissue was thin.
- Sensitivity if root surface is exposed at the new margin.
- Bleeding, swelling and tenderness for a few days; infection is uncommon.
- Crown lengthening carries the additional risks of minor surgery and a longer healing period.
FAQ
Questions patients ask
The procedure is done under local anaesthetic, so no. Afterwards the gum is tender for a few days, similar to a scratch inside the mouth, and settles with ordinary pain relief.
Usually one to two millimetres, set by where the bone sits beneath. Beyond that the tissue would not stay, and crown lengthening becomes the appropriate treatment.
Sometimes it creeps part of the way back over several months, more so when only a small amount was removed. A minor touch-up corrects this. Where bone is reshaped too, the result is more stable.
It is one of the tools. If excess gum is the cause, contouring helps. If the cause is a short lip or a long upper jaw, other approaches are needed and we say so at the assessment.
Six to eight weeks, so the new margin is fully healed and stable before the veneers are designed to it.
Yes, at South Kensington or St Paul’s now at the same fees, with the review or any follow-on cosmetic work in Marylebone from 1 October 2026.
Keep reading
Related treatments and guides
Marylebone, W1
Gum contouring at Wimpole Street from 1 October 2026
Register your interest and we will contact you as soon as the Marylebone diary is live. If you would rather start sooner, the same clinicians already see patients in South Kensington and at St Paul’s.
Opening 1 October 2026
Wimpole Street is not yet seeing patients. Until then, please book or call our South Kensington clinic on 020 7183 2362 or our St Paul's clinic on 020 7183 3709. Questions about the new clinic: wimpolestreet@md.co.uk.
Until we open
Need an appointment before 1 October 2026?
The same clinical team already works from two other Medical & Dental clinics. Book at either one now and, if you prefer, move your ongoing care to Wimpole Street once the doors open.
South Kensington
- 20 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3DL
- Open seven days a week
- 020 7183 2362
St Paul's, City of London
- 5 Ave Maria Lane, London EC4M 7AQ
- Open Monday to Friday
- 020 7183 3709
