Do I need crown lengthening?

There are many reasons why you might need to have a crown lengthening savage minnesota procedure. If your dentist has recently recommended it, you may be wondering what exactly the procedure is and if it is right for you. Perhaps your teeth look small and your gums look oversized. Or maybe you have a tooth that needs a crown and there is just not enough of the original tooth exposed. Regardless of the reason, the crown lengthening procedure may be just what you need to help improve your smile and your oral health. Below is more information to help you decide if the crown lengthening procedure is right for you.

What is the crown lengthening procedure?

The purpose of the crown lengthening procedure is to expose more of the natural teeth by reducing and reshaping the gum tissue around the teeth. The procedure is a minor periodontal surgery, which includes surgically removing gum tissue and reshaping the existing tissue. In some more advance cases, bone may also need to be removed. Crown lengthening may need to be done on just one tooth, or several teeth to change the appearance of the gumline. The procedure occurs in just a few simple steps:

  • Anesthetic: The oral surgeon will start by numbing the gum tissue with local anesthetic.
  • Tissue removal: The surgeon will slowly work to remove excessive gum tissue and bone tissue to expose more of the natural teeth. During this removal, the surgeon will work to purposefully reshape the gums.
  • Clean up: After the surgeon is satisfied with their work on the gums, the treated area is cleaned up and stitches are put in to help the gum keep their new shape.

Who needs the crown lengthening procedure?

The primary reasons why a dentist may recommend the crown lengthening procedure for you are:

  • You want to improve the appearance of your smile. If you have teeth that appear small or short in proportion to your oversized gums, the crown lengthening may be the perfect solution. A “gummy smile” may be the result of genetics or prescription medicine use. To fix a gummy smile, the goal of the procedure is to remove excess tissue make the appearance of the teeth and gums proportional. Crown lengthening can be performed on one tooth or to several teeth to show more of the natural teeth.
  • You need to have a crown restored. A tooth that is decayed or broken below the gum line may be impossible to fix. The crown lengthening procedure can make restoration possible by lowering the gumline to expose more of the tooth so it can be worked on. For example, when a new crown is needed there needs to be enough of the existing tooth visible to attach the crown to. The procedure will expose more tooth, making the crown restoration possible.

If you have a gummy smile that you have always wanted to fix or you have a damaged tooth that needs a new crown, the crown lengthening procedure may be just what you need to improve your smile.

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