Daryl E. Malena DDS  Periodontics
10838 Old Mill Road
Omaha, Nebraska 68154
402 330 4100

The papillae are the points of gum tissue that normally fill the spaces between teeth.  These structures are critical to the appearance of a healthy smile, but they can become blunted or even completely lost due to periodontal disease, trauma, smoking and age.  

Restoring papillae to their original shape and size is one of the most challenging tasks for a periodontist.  Every meeting of the American Academy of Periodontology has sessions dealing with the problem.  The body normally insists on relatively flat surfaces--that is how the body heals a tooth extraction site: the hole in the bone and gum tissue fills in to an almost flat ridge. When we attempt to create a new papilla, we are actually trying to fool the normal healing into healing into the shape of a pyramid.

There are several procedures that can recreate papillae, and there is not necessarily any way to predict which method will work best for each situation.  We tell patients that we are trying as hard as we can, but a few cases require as many as three separate procedures to successfully grow one new papilla. 

Fortunately, modern dentistry can come to our aid in some situations.  Simply widening the teeth at the level of the papillae by construction crowns or veneers, or by simply adding composite filling material can create the illusion that the papillae are at a healthy, youthful position again.  Many cases require a combination of surgery and dental solutions, but we can usually make your smile attractive, regardless of previous disease or traumatic damage.

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