Crown lengthening exposes more of a tooth with a surgical procedure to remove gum tissue and bone.
What is crown lengthening?
Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure at the practice to expose more of the visible part of a tooth. Your dentist will take away gum tissue and sometimes bone from around the base to reveal more of the tooth.
Crown lengthening is commonly used to improve a “gummy” smile where the gum depth is disproportionate to the tooth. A crown lengthening treatment may be required for tooth restoration, such as the preparation for a dental crown where the tooth is broken below the gum line.
What is a crown lengthening treatment?
If you require a crown lengthening procedure, the dental team will first review your medical history and take dental X-rays and scans of your mouth and teeth. At the start of the procedure, a local anaesthetic is used to numb the treatment area for minimal discomfort.
Your dentist will then remove excess gum tissue to expose more of one or more teeth. With teeth below the gum line, the periodontist may need to remove some bone from around the base of the tooth in order to be able to prepare the tooth to receive a crown.
After the procedure, your gums will be sutured and we will apply a sterile bandage. Patients are normally asked to return to the practice after one or two weeks after the procedure to evaluate the healing.
Your dentist will then advise you on the next stage of your dental restoration.
