What is Crown Lengthening?
Dental crowns are used to restore teeth that are severely damaged. These teeth might have become broken or cracked or are severely decayed. However, when the damage is severe, there might be too little remaining tooth structure to fit a crown.
Crown lengthening is a procedure that exposes more of a damaged tooth by recontouring the gum around it. Sometimes, it’s also necessary to reshape the bone.
When Is Crown Lengthening Necessary?
We will suggest a crown lengthening procedure if too little remains of your natural tooth to hold a crown firmly in place. It is a treatment that enables us to fit a crown properly. For example, if a tooth has broken off near the gumline.
After fitting the crown, the result should be a fully restored tooth that feels comfortable and is easy to keep clean.
Crown lengthening is sometimes used to treat people with a gummy smile when too much gum is shown when smiling or talking. This procedure can also be part of a smile makeover, enhancing your appearance and boosting your confidence.
What Are the Benefits of Crown Lengthening?
Treatment can provide several benefits, including:
- Enhancing the aesthetics of your smile by reducing a gummy smile.
- Preparing your teeth for cosmetic and restorative procedures like veneers and crowns.
- Enhancing gum health by reducing excess gum tissue.
- Restorations will last longer and be held more securely after crown lengthening.
The Crown Lengthening Procedure: What to Expect During Treatment
Laser Dentistry
Our dental office will likely use laser dentistry during this procedure. Laser dentistry provides our patients with a more comfortable and accurate treatment process since treatment is gentler.
The laser automatically sterilizes and cauterizes tissue as we remove it, reducing the risk of infection. Afterward, there is less bleeding, swelling, and discomfort, and recovery should be faster.
Initial Consultation
You will require an initial consultation. We may recommend you see our periodontist, Dr Richard Nejat. A dental exam will confirm if your teeth and gums are suitable for this treatment. Our periodontist will review your dental and medical history and must take digital dental X-rays to assess the structures around your teeth.
Dr. Nejat can then create your custom treatment plan and will discuss it with you in some detail and can answer all your questions.
Procedure Details
Crown lengthening is performed using a local anesthetic to ensure treatment is painless. It typically takes around an hour to complete, depending on the number of teeth requiring treatment.
- Once your gums are numb, Dr. Nejat makes a small incision into the gum to access the tooth root and surrounding jawbone.
- The right amount of gum tissue is removed to expose more of the tooth structure. The bone may also be reshaped at this point. Reshaping your jawbone is a more delicate process that will take longer.
- After treatment, you will notice that your teeth look longer since more of your natural tooth structure is exposed. A dressing may be applied to protect your tooth.
Recovery and After-Care
Initial Recovery
Below are some tips to follow during the initial recovery period. However, we will provide clear instructions on how to care for your mouth during healing. We are also available if you have any questions or concerns.
- Use pain relief. As the anesthetic wears off, you may feel some discomfort. We can prescribe pain relief or advise you on using over-the-counter painkillers to ensure you feel more comfortable. We may also prescribe a special mouthwash to help the healing process.
- Expect some tooth sensitivity. During healing, your teeth may feel more sensitive to hot and cold temperature changes, but this sensitivity should disappear over time.
- Avoid very hot foods for the first 24 hours. Eating something very hot could encourage any bleeding to last longer.
- Stick to a soft food diet initially. We recommend sticking to a soft food diet for the first few days after surgery and chewing on the other side of your mouth. We can provide a list of suitable foods and discuss when to introduce harder foods back into your diet.
- Use ice packs. Ice packs applied to the outside of your face will help you feel more comfortable and reduce swelling. You can apply the ice pack for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off.
- Switch to moist heat two days afterward. As your recovery progresses, you can switch to using moist heat pads on the outside of your mouth.
- Brush your teeth carefully. You should only brush the biting surfaces around the protective dressing, but you can brush and floss your other teeth normally. We can give you more detailed information on how to care for your mouth at our dental office.
- Avoid drinking alcohol. Please avoid alcohol until you come to see us for your follow-up appointment.
- Avoid smoking. We recommend quitting smoking for at least 7 to 10 days after treatment.
Your Follow-Up Appointment
We will need you to return to our dental office 1 to 2 weeks after your procedure so we can remove any stitches and evaluate the outcome.
It can take three months for your mouth to heal completely. At this point we can fit your new crown or another suitable restoration.
Is Crown Lengthening Safe?
Crown lengthening is a common dental procedure that is extremely effective and low-risk. Our periodontist is highly trained and experienced. Laser dentistry helps reduce the risk of side effects such as infection.
Once your treatment is complete, you can look forward to healthier gums and teeth, a more attractive smile, and the ability to explore other cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening or dental bonding to complete your smile makeover.
At Clock Tower Dental, we are committed to providing high-quality dental care tailored to your individual needs. If you need a crown lengthening procedure, our team is here to help.
Take the first step toward a healthy and confident smile. Contact us today to >schedule a consultation!