Darkened Gums

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WKYC)--Stained, damaged or misshapen teeth can keep some people from smiling. But for others, the appearance of their gums makes them self conscious about the way they look.

Stephanie Johnson is a stylist who helps others look their best. But she never felt completely comfortable with her own smile. Her teeth are white and bright, but it's her gums that bothered Stephanie.

"I am fairly close to my clients when I am working on them. And you want to smile and make them feel comfortable," Stephanie says.

Stephanie's gums are perfectly healthy. But pigmentation left them with a dark gray appearance instead of pink. "They were darker and so I felt as though my smile wasn't as bright as it could be," Stephanie said.

Commonly, people with darker complexions may be prone to a natural buildup of melanin in their gum tissue. Also certain medications may cause gum discoloration to develop over time.

Dr. Richard Betor of Rocky River has been helping patients like Stephanie turn their dark gums to pink using a Waterlase MD cool water laser, that's virtually pain-free.

"When the laser energy hits the water, it is called photokinetic energy. The water actually does the cutting and it's usually done with no novacaine or a little topical," said Dr. Betor.

If done with a scalpel, recovery time is lengthy and often painful. But using laser therapy, patients like Stephanie can go back to work the next day, with results worth smiling about. "I was amazed. I loved it," said Stephanie.

The procedure is considered cosmetic. Stephanie will require some minor touch ups over the years. The cost is about $900 for top gums. Bottom gums cost about the same.