I have some pretty bad black triangles due to gum disease. I asked my dentist what we could do to fix them and he said I could either have dental bonding done or just get a gingival mask. I’m totally unfamiliar with the mask. Is that a good solution? I have mixed feelings on the dental bonding. I did have some bonding done once to close a tooth gap. It has always looked a bit “odd”, but because it was better looking than the gap, I didn’t complain. Is there a best solution here?

Katherine

Dear Katherine,

A gingival mask (pictured above) will snap over your gums, giving them the appearance of a normal position. Some are made of silicone and some are made of vinyl polysiloxane. The latter is sturdier. Which you get depends on the lab your dentist uses, though you can request one over the other. All it takes to get one is an impression, which any dentist should be able to adequately do.

Dental bonding requires a bit more skill. As you know, the composite is bonded directly to your tooth structure. Bonding would be the superior fix, however, I feel the need to warn you that it will require an expert cosmetic dentist. I’m not certain your dentist would qualify as the tooth gap repair was noticeably different than the rest of your teeth. Doing bonding for black triangles is a bit more complicated.

If the shape isn’t done correctly, it can trap things, which will lead to more gum disease for you. That is not something you want to risk. When gum disease advances enough, your bone will begin to lose structure. That will cause your teeth to become loose and even fall out. I’m sure you are taking your gum disease seriously and are getting the proper treatment, so I don’t want you to have any setbacks.

This blog is brought to you by Atlanta Periodontist Dr. David Pumphrey.