Crown Lengthening is a simple surgical procedure which
adjusts the position of the gum around the affected tooth, thereby
providing a more solid tooth on which to anchor the restoration of
choice. A functional crown lengthening will help you regain a
beautiful smile and allow you to eat and speak with comfort and
confidence. crown lengthening
is available to prepare a tooth for restorative dentistry or to cosmetically enhance your smile.
periodontist may also recommend
crown lengthening to make a restorative or cosmetic dental procedure possible.
Crown Lengthening and Restorative Dentistry
When decay occurs below the gum line, or has insufficient tooth structure for a restoration, such as a
crown or bridge there must be adequate tooth structure. It's a common occurrence that there is not enough tooth structure
to attach the restoration and preserve the health of the surrounding gum tissue. The ultimate success of any dental restoration is
dependant upon the amount of natural remaining tooth structure. Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure that adjusts the gum
and bone level to expose more of the tooth so it can be restored. Crown lengthening is important for the overall strength of the final restoration,
providing better health, comfort and function.
Reshaping the gum and supporting tissues will allow your general dentist adequate room to place a quality final restoration.
Crown Lengthening and Cosmetic Treatment
Crown lengthening is used to correct what's commonly referred to as a "gummy smile"
that hides the beautiful teeth underneath the gums. A gummy smile is apparent when the gum line appears
to be creeping down over the teeth, making them appear short.
During this procedure, excess gum and bone tissue is reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth
and more beautiful smile. This can be done to one tooth,
to even your gum line, or to several teeth to expose a natural, broad smile.
Crown lengthening is used to keep the gums around a crown healthy.
The gums drape around a tooth and protect the tooth and bone that
holds the tooth in the mouth. The gums bond to the tooth surface and
this bond prevents food from getting stuck between the tooth and
gums. The gums need at least two millimeters of tooth to attach to
in order to be effective in preventing food from trapping under the
gums, otherwise serious problems can develop.
Sometimes part of a tooth will crack off so that the 2 mm for the
gums to bond is not available. Crown lengthening surgery is needed.
Another reason that the needed 2 mm might not be available is when a
tooth decays and after removing the decay, the dentist finds that
there is less than 2 mm of tooth left above the bone. This procedure
is used to recreate this needed amount of exposed tooth.
The patient is numbed and an incision is made around the tooth
needing crown lengthening. The gum tissue is gently peeled away from
the tooth to show the supporting bone holding the tooth in place.
Now the dentist can see that there is not two millimeters of tooth
available to stick to. In the procedure the dentist removes several
millimeters of bone around the tooth to expose the tooth that was
previously underneath the bone. After the dentist is sure there is
two millimeters or more of tooth sticking out of the bone, the gums
are replaced and stitched carefully back in place. The surgery is
now complete. The gums are allowed to heal six weeks and a crown can
then be constructed.
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