Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening is done when a tooth is decayed deep into the gum line but has enough structure to be restored or "fixed". Sometimes, not enough of the tooth sticks out above the gum to support a filling or crown. This can happen when a tooth breaks off at the gum line. It also can happen when a crown or filling falls out of a tooth and there is decay underneath. To place a filling or crown, your dentist needs to expose more of the tooth. This is done by removing some gum tissue or bone.
The procedure involves reshaping or recontouring the gum tissue and bone around the tooth in question to create a new gum-to–tooth relationship. Crown lengthening can be performed on a single tooth, many teeth or the entire gum line. It should also provide enough tooth structure so the new restoration will not come loose in the future. This allows you to clean the edge of the restoration when you brush and floss to prevent decay and gum disease.
Our Periodontists Dr. Eslami and Dr. Bhandal perform crown lengthening on regular bases. The procedure takes approximately one hour but will largely depend on the amount of teeth involved and if any amount of bone will need to be removed. Crown lengthening is usually performed under local anesthetic and involves a series of small incisions around the tissue to separate the gums from the teeth. Even if only one tooth requires the procedure, it will probably be necessary to adjust the surrounding teeth to enable a more even reshaping.
When the teeth have sufficient exposure and the procedure is completed, the incisions will be cleaned with Saline water. Sutures and a protective bandage are then placed to help secure the new gum-to-tooth relationship. Your teeth will look noticeably longer immediately after surgery because the gums have now been repositioned. You will need to be seen in one or two weeks to remove the sutures and evaluate your healing. The surgical site should be completely healed in approximately two to three weeks following the procedure.
The procedure involves reshaping or recontouring the gum tissue and bone around the tooth in question to create a new gum-to–tooth relationship. Crown lengthening can be performed on a single tooth, many teeth or the entire gum line. It should also provide enough tooth structure so the new restoration will not come loose in the future. This allows you to clean the edge of the restoration when you brush and floss to prevent decay and gum disease.
Our Periodontists Dr. Eslami and Dr. Bhandal perform crown lengthening on regular bases. The procedure takes approximately one hour but will largely depend on the amount of teeth involved and if any amount of bone will need to be removed. Crown lengthening is usually performed under local anesthetic and involves a series of small incisions around the tissue to separate the gums from the teeth. Even if only one tooth requires the procedure, it will probably be necessary to adjust the surrounding teeth to enable a more even reshaping.
When the teeth have sufficient exposure and the procedure is completed, the incisions will be cleaned with Saline water. Sutures and a protective bandage are then placed to help secure the new gum-to-tooth relationship. Your teeth will look noticeably longer immediately after surgery because the gums have now been repositioned. You will need to be seen in one or two weeks to remove the sutures and evaluate your healing. The surgical site should be completely healed in approximately two to three weeks following the procedure.