Guide To Crown Lengthening

What is crown lengthening? Why do you need one? What to expect? This article provides a brief overview of the procedure.

Sometimes we need a specific dental procedure, but there’s not enough tooth to work with. This can happen when a tooth breaks, a crown fails, or decay has reached beneath the gum. In these situations, dentists use crown lengthening procedures to expose more of your tooth to complete your other treatment.

What is Crown Lengthening?

The crown is the tooth’s visible part that we can see above the gum line. Crown lengthening is a procedure that extends the length of a tooth. Your dentist removes minute portions of bone or gum around a tooth.

What is The Reason You Need Crown Lengthening?

Your dentist will recommend crown lengthening when you have the following:

• Broken or cracked tooth close to the gum
• Decay close to or under the gum line
• A crown, bridge, or filling that needs more teeth to hold onto
• An excess of gum tissue–also known as a ‘gummy smile.’

What Does Crown Lengthening Treat?

In essence, this procedure treats an excess of gum tissue or bone. This excess can cause problems such as a ‘gummy smile’ that makes your teeth look too short or small. It’s most often used to prepare teeth for a different treatment, such as a crown or filling.

The Treatment and Process

First, the dentist will numb your gums with local anesthesia. Once you’re comfortable, they will cut into your gums and pull them back to show the tooth and bone beneath.

For some, the dentist will only need to remove soft gum tissue, and for others will need to remove small amounts of bone.

Once removed, the dentist will check that they have exposed the required amount of tooth. Then they will clean the area and suture the gums closed.

Frequently, your dentist will cover the area with a dressing or perio pack to keep the incision clean and protected.

How Long Will It Last?

The results of crown lengthening are permanent. Your dentist has altered a small part of your mouth, but they have done so to ensure that other tooth-preserving procedures are of the best quality.

What Are The Benefits?

There are several benefits to crown lengthening. When your dentist performs this procedure, they will:

• Save your original tooth – a goal for any and all procedures
• Improve your smile
• Ensure the success of other treatments

Schedule a Dental Consultation Today

If you require speaking with a top-rated NJ dentist, contact Suburban Essex Dental to schedule a consultation. We are a full-service general and family dental office and look forward to providing you the expert dental care you need.