Broaden Your Smile’s Appearance
Your smile is the first thing people notice about you. When your smile has excess gum tissue, it can make your teeth look small and also difficult to treat. Luckily, at Dr. Abbo Advanced Dentistry, our expert team of dentists offer crown lengthening to expose more of your teeth and make them appear longer, as well as prepare them for further dental procedures.
If you’re looking to improve the health and look of your teeth, crown lengthening could be right for you. Read our guide below to learn more about this restorative procedure and how it can benefit your smile’s appearance.
What Is Crown Lengthening?
Crown lengthening is performed to improve the health of your gum tissue or prepare the mouth for further restorative or cosmetic procedure. In addition, crown lengthening can also be used to correct a “gummy” smile, where your teeth are covered by excess tissue. By reshaping or recontouring your bone and gum tissue, this will make your teeth appear more broad while creating an aesthetically pleasing smile.
Benefits of Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening is a versatile and common procedure that offers many advantages for patients. Here are some of the benefits for crown lengthening:
- Restore Damaged Teeth: When periodontal (gum) disease causes your gum line to recede, crown lengthening can be used to prepare the area for a new restoration such as porcelain crowns.
- Cosmetic Uses: Excess gum tissue can make your teeth look unnaturally short and increase your susceptibility to infections. Removing this extra tissue can create a balanced, healthy look to improve your smile’s appearance.
- Dental Crowns: Crown lengthening can provide more space between the supporting jawbone and dental crown. This prevents it from damaging gum tissues and bone once it’s in place.
The Crown Lengthening Process
Removing Excess Gums
Before your appointment, your dentist will apply a local anesthetic so that you don’t feel any discomfort during the procedure. Any existing dental crowns will be removed prior to treatment and replaced immediately afterwards.
A series of small incisions will be made around the soft tissue to separate the excess gums away from the teeth. Even if one tooth requires reshaping, neighboring teeth are also treated to provide even more recontouring. In some cases, the removal of a small amount of gum tissue gives your dentist enough tooth exposure to place a crown.
Your dentist may also remove a small amount of bone from around the teeth with the use of special hand and rotary instruments. These tools roughly resemble the drill that is used in our routine cavity treatment and is completely safe.
Aftercare Instructions
When your dentist is satisfied with your teeth’s exposure, they’ll clean the wound with sterile water and the gum tissue will be sutured with small stitches. The surgical site will be secured by using an intraoral (periodontal) bandage, which prevents infection. It will take approximately two to three months to fully heal depending on your oral health.
Am I a Candidate for Crown Lengthening?
Patients who have aesthetic issues with their gumline or dental problems that require exposing more of the tooth structure are ideal candidates for crown lengthening. During your initial consultation with one of our dentists, they’ll examine your smile and determine whether this treatment is right for you. They’ll also be more than happy to answer any questions you have about crown lengthening and the process itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is crown lengthening painful?
Before your procedure, your dentist will apply a local anesthetic to ensure that you won’t feel discomfort or pain of any kind while treating your gums. Our staff will also be there to make sure you are as comfortable as possible. While you may experience some sensitivity afterwards, this usually subsides on its own and can be managed with over-the-counter pain medication.
How long does crown lengthening take?
The amount of time your procedure will take depends on how many of your teeth are being treated and whether a small amount of bone also needs to be removed. In most cases, crown lengthening can be completed in as little as one hour right here in our North Miami Beach office. During your initial consultation, your dentist will be able to provide you with an accurate estimate as to how long your procedure will take.
How do I care for my gums after surgery?
A chlorhexidine (antimicrobial) mouth rinse may be recommended to reduce the amount of bacteria attempting to recolonize on the surface of your treated teeth. Prescriptions may also be provided for pain medication to help reduce any discomfort you may experience. After two to three months, your gums should be fully healed and ready to show off your new smile.
Does insurance cover crown lengthening?
Most insurance companies will cover a portion of your crown lengthening if the procedure is related to tooth decay or other oral health issues. Our office recommends that you contact your provider to get an accurate understanding of your policy. During your initial consultation with your dentist, they’ll be able to give an estimate as to how much the procedure will cost.
Fix Your Smile’s Appearance Today
If you suffer from a “gummy” smile or require dental care for the unexposed portions of your teeth, our dentists at Dr. Abbo Advanced Dentistry can broaden your smile with crown lengthening. Contact our North Miami Beach office today by calling (305) 945-0909 or by filling out an online contact form. We look forward to renewing your smile!
Dr. Abbo Advanced Dentistry
3031 NE 163rd Street
North Miami Beach, FL 33160
Phone: 305-945-0909
Fax: 305-945-0907
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