Puffy Gumline at btwn Canine

[RicanMedic78]

I had an overbite that is almost fully corrected however, I have one concern. The gumline between my canines and the ones in front of it are a bit puffy (the points coming down). My ortho said it would recede on its own but the teeth have been joined for a while now and still remains a bit puffy even with constant flossing and brushing.

Is this normal and should this be corrected. My front 4 teeth have very sharp and clean gumlines up and down. Its just the front of my canines that remains puffy looking.

[Sunny]

Sometimes gum swell a little during treatment and settle during the weeks following having your braces removed.

If you're confident it's not connected to the hygiene of your gums, then you'd have to expect it is due to your treatment.

Tell your ortho of your concerns again ... as it's important that you get answer you can understand and accept.

Good luck!

[RicanMedic78]

the problem is that my ortho says it will recede on its own and it has been several months with the slight puffy tip btwn the teeth. On another note, my hygene has always been very good and I have been told that I have done a great job with that. Even my reg dentist said the same and that I had far less bleeding than the average person with braces on for so long. So I'm not sure its hygene related. On another note, that gap btween the canine and the small tooth in front have been the hardest to close and has taken the entire 3 years to do so.

Would I need surgery to correct the slight puffy tip?

[Amelia]

I have exactly the same problem. I'm due to have my braces removed in six days, and have a small gap between my right upper canine and incisor. The gum is puffy between the two teeth, and appears to be preventing any further forward motion of the tooth. The inflammation (?) has been present for months, possibly since last summer. It doesn't seem to be related to hygiene, as the colour is normal and healthy, and I am fairly rigorous with my cleaning regimen. Although the gap appears small, it has a defined triangular shape (due to the natural taper of the tooth- the alignment seems straight) and I'm worried that it will be noticeable once my braces are removed (I'm more worried that my orthodontist will have expected the gap to close over the course of this past month, and will delay removing the braces until some purportedly inevitable motion occurs). I suppose my question, then, is whether this is normal? Will the puffiness fade, and if so, will this allow the retainers to shift the tooth forward at all? I understand that retainers are designed to promote stability, not alteration.
I want them off, but I don't want to risk being unhappy with my smile!

(This has been the first time that my orthodontist has told me I would be getting my braces removed- it's not a statement he offers flippantly. He's quite fastidious and particular, so maybe the gap I see isn't as noticeable as I think? Or, maybe it's uncloseable due to the placement of my gum- something I could live with, as long as I know that I'm not being cheated out of a flawless grin )

[Sunny]

RicanMedic it is possible to have surgery to reduce excess gum ... not swollen, although I'm guessing it might look swollen when it's all bunched up.

Healthy gums should not bleed ... so it's good that your's don't bleed much, but I'd be concerned that they bleed at all.

I've had a gap take over four years to close, so I understand your concern. My gum did look a little puffy at times, but within days it would work it's way down and back to being how it should be. This mostly happened when the teeth on either side of the gap were 'forced' closer together with ties. The premolar and incisor (no canine) have been together for a couple of months now and I can't remember when there was any extra skin ... which is good!

Maybe gently massaging will help until you get to see your ortho again. Good luck!

Amelia your gap sounds more like one that is the result of the shape of the teeth or gums receding and not a gap that will close. The triangular gaps that are seen by some people near their gumlines are usually the result of the gums receding. This can be due to aging, genetics, overbrushing, orthodontic treatment, gum disease etc. I recommend you talk to your ortho and dentist about this, so you are clear in your mind if this is permanent or something may get better.

These gaps are very noticable to us, but I douby anyone else can see them ... or is interested in them!