Teeth lengthening or crown lengthening is a surgical procedure where the excess gum tissue is removed to reveal more of the patient's tooth. This is done when the patient does not have enough exposed tooth structure for placing a dental restoration. Besides, this procedure can also be used to fix the gummy smile when it affects the smile aesthetics of the patient.
Purposes of a Crown Lengthening Procedure
At All Smile Dental, our expert dentists perform crown lengthening surgery for both cosmetic as well as restorative purposes.
If the patient doesn't have enough of the tooth structure to hold the placement of a dental crown or bridge on its own, the crown lengthening procedure can help. If you have a decayed tooth, your tooth is broken below the gum line, or you don't have sufficient tooth structure for placing the restoration, a crown lengthening procedure modifies the gum and bone level to expose your tooth more to allow the tooth restoration.
Some patients also undergo the crown lengthening procedure to fix a "gummy smile," the condition in which their gums are visible over their teeth when they smile.
What Can You Expect From a Crown Lengthening Procedure at All Smile Dental?
At All Smile Dental, we perform three types of crown lengthening surgery:
- gingivectomy
- surgical extrusion
- apically repositioned flap surgery
Our expert dentists decide the type of surgery best suited for a patient after considering the following:
- The appearance of the tooth's root
- The ratio of the crown to root
- Presence of bone loss
- Aesthetic considerations
- The position of the tooth
- The type of the needed reconstructive surgery
Dental Crown Lengthening Procedure
If your teeth appear short as they are covered with too much gum tissue, a dental crown lengthening procedure is done. We may use a scalpel, laser, or the two tools together, depending on the type of surgery to be performed.
After administering a combination of local anesthesia and sedative to the patient, an incision is made on the patient's gum, and the gum tissue is pulled away from the teeth to expose more of the tooth's crown.
Some patients require only the removal of the soft gum tissue, while others might also need bone removal.
Benefits of Dental Crown Lengthening
A dental crown lengthening procedure can give stunning and dramatic results. Besides fixing a patient's gummy smile to improve the aesthetics of the teeth, the procedure also supports dental restorations, thus helping them have smiles they can be proud of.
Crown lengthening procedure typically benefits the patients in the following ways:
- Holds the new dental crown or tooth restoration in place, thus helping people with chipped or cracked teeth.
- Improve the smile aesthetics of those with prominent gums by exposing their teeth.
Do you want to know more about the Crown Lengthening Procedure at All Smile Dental? Please Call our Dentist in Turlock, CA at (209) 668-3736 or Dentist in Modesto, CA at (209) 409-8839.
