Adult front tooth covered by gum

My 7.5 year old daughter has her 2 front adult teeth in (half way grown), but one of them is covered in (hard) gum and has been that way for over a year. Her pediatric dentist said it would be a good idea to have an oral surgeon cut the gum away. We had a consultation with an oral surgeon who said we should do it, and that he will use a laser to make the recovery easier. My question is, does this need to be done, and what would happen if it isn't? Is this a normal recommendation for this situation? Many thanks.

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Answer: Tissue Removal

By Sarah h
Dental Professional

It sounds like you have given the tooth ample amount of time to erupt on its own, if the tooth cannot come through the tissue on its own, it could lead to a periodontal infection. A laser is minimally invasive and the healing time is short. This should be a very easy and quick procedure when performed with a laser, with minimal bleeding. This is a very routine procedure for the situation presented.

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