What is the Crown Lengthening Procedure?

Crown lengthening is a common procedure that can be used to fix a gummy smile, but it is often used in anticipation of dental restoration treatment. Oftentimes, a tooth that needs to be restored does not have enough tooth structure exposed above the gum line, and a simple way to fix that is with crown lengthening. The part of the tooth that is visible is called the crown. The procedure is so named because removing a portion of the gum tissues effectively lengthens the crown of the tooth.

Patients who have a gummy smile appear to have small teeth, but with crown lengthening, the excess gum tissue is removed to reveal more tooth structure.

What is the crown lengthening procedure?

Crown lengthening is an outpatient procedure performed by a periodontist under local anesthetic, and depending on the number of teeth being treated, usually takes less than an hour. Your doctor will begin by making a small incision in the gum tissue in order to access the underlying bone structure, which is shaved and reshaped before the gum tissue is trimmed and stitched back in place. A surgical dressing is typically placed over the site to protect the area while it heals.

If you need to have your entire smile contoured, your doctor may choose to do the procedure in two visits, completing the upper and lower separately.

Are there any risks with crown lengthening?

Any surgery has a risk of infection, but your doctor will prescribe medication to take after your procedure to prevent any issues. It is normal to experience minor bleeding immediately after surgery, but bleeding that does not stop or gets worse should be addressed as soon as possible. Additionally, you will likely experience some level of sensitivity to hot and cold food and beverages, but this should subside after a few days.

What is the postoperative care for crown lengthening?

After crown lengthening, it is important to avoid brushing and flossing the area until your periodontist tells you that you are healed enough for regular oral care. You will have stitches, and brushing or flossing over them can cause damage and extend the healing process.

There will also need to be some modifications to your diet. Foods that are crunchy or spicy, as well as alcohol and tobacco products, should be avoided until your follow-up appointment. Your doctor will let you know when it is safe to return to normal eating habits, but a soft food diet for a few days will help you heal more quickly.

Crown lengthening is not a painless procedure, but there are some things you can do to help alleviate discomfort. Ice packs can be placed over the area to help reduce the swelling, and most patients are able to manage their pain levels with over-the-counter pain medications. It can take up to 12 weeks for crown lengthening surgery to heal, but the better you take care of the surgery site and follow your doctor’s directions, the faster and easier your healing will be.

Related Article: How Long Does Crown Lengthening Take?