Smile Gallery
Real Patients. Real Results.
Before-and-after results from Denver's periodontal specialists
For more than 70 years, Poulos, Somers & Marshall has helped patients restore healthy gums, replace missing teeth and feel confident in their smiles again. Every case below is a real patient treated in our Denver practice. Drag the slider on each photo to compare before and after.
Every Smile Tells a Story
Gum disease, recession, missing teeth and uneven gum lines affect how you eat, speak and smile. Drs. Poulos, Somers and Marshall combine decades of periodontal expertise with today's most advanced techniques to treat the root cause, not just the symptoms. The cases below show what that care looks like in real life.
Dental Implants
A Permanent Fix for a Failing Bridge
After struggling for years with an unreliable dental bridge, this patient was ready for a permanent solution for his missing front tooth. We placed a dental implant together with a bone graft, which rebuilds the jawbone so the implant has a strong, stable foundation that will last. His dentist then completed the smile with a beautiful new crown that blends seamlessly with his natural teeth.
Dental Implants
Replacing Two Teeth Lost in an Accident
After losing two teeth in an accident, this patient lived for years with a removable partial denture and was ready for something permanent. We placed a single dental implant and added a soft tissue graft to build a healthy, natural-looking gum line around it. That foundation allowed his dentist to secure a two-tooth bridge, restoring his smile without anything to take in and out.
Gum Grafting
Covering Exposed Implant Threads
This patient came to us with gum pain and visible metal on an older dental implant that had been placed elsewhere. The gum tissue around the implant had receded, exposing its threads, which is uncomfortable and puts the implant at risk. We performed a gum graft to rebuild the tissue and cover the exposed metal. Her pain resolved, the implant is protected, and the gum line looks natural again.
Gum Recession
Restoring a Receding Gum Line
Gum recession is one of the most common problems we treat. As the gums pull back, the roots of the teeth become exposed, making teeth look longer and leaving them vulnerable to sensitivity and further tissue loss. For this patient, soft tissue grafting allowed us to move the gum line back to a healthy position and protect the roots, resulting in a fuller, more youthful smile.
Gum Recession
Protecting Roots with Soft Tissue Grafting
Receding gums do more than change how a smile looks; exposed roots are more prone to decay, sensitivity and continued recession. In this case, we used soft tissue grafting to rebuild the thin tissue and re-cover the exposed roots. With the roots protected and the gum line even again, this patient's smile is both healthier and more balanced.
Gum Recession
A Healthier, More Even Gum Line
When recession affects several teeth, the smile can start to look uneven. Grafting new tissue along the gum line lets us restore a consistent, healthy contour across the affected teeth. This patient's result shows how soft tissue grafting protects the teeth long term while giving the smile a natural, refreshed appearance.
Gum Grafting
VISTA Gum Grafting for the Upper Canines
Gum recession around this patient's upper canines had exposed the roots, making the teeth look long and leaving them open to sensitivity and further tissue loss. We treated the area with the VISTA technique (Vestibular Incision Subperiosteal Tunnel Access), a minimally invasive approach that gently repositions the gum tissue through a single small incision instead of cutting along the gum line. An allograft (donor tissue) reinforced the gums, so no tissue had to be taken from the roof of the mouth. The result is a fuller, even gum line and protected roots.
Pre-Orthodontic Periodontal Augmentation (POPA)
Preparing Thin Gums and Bone for Braces
This young patient was referred by her orthodontist because the gums and bone around her lower teeth were thin, which put her at risk of recession once her teeth started moving. Before orthodontics began, we performed Pre-Orthodontic Periodontal Augmentation (POPA) on her lower arch. POPA uses precise piezo-surgical cuts in the bone around the teeth to help them move more efficiently, combined with bone grafting to thicken the bone and gum tissue and guard against future recession. The before photo is from her consultation; the after photo was taken roughly two years later, once orthodontic treatment was complete, showing healthy, thicker gums and a beautifully aligned smile.
Esthetic Crown Lengthening
Reshaping the Gum Line Before Veneers
A two-step plan transformed this patient's smile. First, we performed esthetic crown lengthening, carefully reshaping excess gum tissue to reveal more of each natural tooth and create balanced proportions. Once the gums had healed, her dentist placed veneers to close the gap and complete her new look. Treating the gums first is what makes the final result look natural rather than "gummy."
LANAP® Laser Therapy
Saving Teeth Others Said Were Lost
This patient came to us after other dentists recommended removing all of his teeth due to severe periodontal disease. Instead, we used LANAP® laser therapy, which removes infected tissue and bacteria with a laser rather than a scalpel, allowing the gums to reattach and heal, and placed dental implants only where a tooth truly could not be saved. The result: his natural teeth preserved and a healthy, confident smile restored.
Periodontal Disease
Non-Surgical Therapy Guided by Oral DNA Testing
A 36-year-old patient came to us with painful, inflamed gums caused by periodontal disease. Rather than moving straight to surgery, we used Oral DNA salivary testing to identify the specific bacteria driving his infection. That allowed us to pair non-surgical periodontal therapy (deep cleaning below the gum line) with antibiotics matched precisely to his results. The after photo shows noticeably calmer, healthier gum tissue.
Ready to See Your Own Before and After?
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Our periodontists will evaluate your gums, explain your options in plain language and build a plan around your goals. Call us or book online to get started.
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