How much does crown lengthening cost?
The crown lengthening at cherrywoood dental procedure is a dental procedure where excess gum and bone tissue are removed to expose more of natural teeth. The procedure is often the best solution to improve the aesthetic appearance of a “gummy” smile. Either the result of genetics or of prescription medication, a “gummy smile” is a smile where the gums appear oversized and the teeth look too small in proportion. For many, the teeth are actually an appropriate length, but they're covered with too much gum tissue. If your dentist has suggested that a crown lengthening procedure would be a good solution for you, you may be wondering about the estimated costs of the treatment. Below is more information about crown lengthening and tips on how to best estimate the costs.
When is crown lengthening needed?
During the crown lengthening treatment, an oral surgeon removes and reshapes the gum tissue to expose more of the natural tooth. There are two common reasons why a crown lengthening procedure may be needed:
- Improve the aesthetic appearance of the smile. For many, the goal of the procedure is to make the appearance of the teeth and gums proportional. If this is the goal, the procedure may involve trimming the gum covering several teeth to change the appearance of the overall gumline.
- Tooth restoration. If a tooth is decayed or broken below the gum line it may be impossible to repair. The crown lengthening procedure makes restoration possible by exposing more of the natural tooth so it can be restored. The crown lengthening procedure exposes more of the damaged tooth ensuring there is enough tooth available to attach the new crown to.
Estimated costs of the procedure
The estimated costs of the crown lengthening procedure depend on a number of factors. In general, a good place to start with estimating the costs is to consider how many teeth will be involved. The more teeth that need crown lengthening work, the more expensive you can expect it to be. In general, you can expect the procedure to cost between $50-$350 for removing excess gum around one tooth. If the procedure will involve operating a number of teeth it will cost approximately $1,000 or more. In general, if one tooth is needing work, the teeth on each side may also require a little gum reshaping to make sure the gumline looks even. If you have dental insurance, your plan may be able to help with a portion or all of the costs. One factor that will influence your insurance coverage is the purpose of the surgery. If the procedure is for cosmetic reasons your insurance will likely cover less than if the procedure is to repair a damaged or decayed tooth.
Post Procedure
Immediately after the procedure you may experience some pain and swelling. Your dentist will recommend some ice and over the counter pain medication to help with this initial pain and swelling. Approximately 7-10 days after the procedure your dentist will ask you to return to get your stitches removed. After your stitches are removed it takes about 3 months for your gums to heal.
More on Crown Lengthening : Crown Lengthening Pain, Healing, and Risks