Crown lengthening is a gum treatment that has both functional and aesthetic purposes. We may recommend crown lengthening if your appearance is affected by what is sometimes called a “gummy smile.” A gummy smile is one in which the teeth appear abnormally short because of excessive gum tissue. The gum tissue may appear too bulky or look like it comes down over the teeth too far. In most cases, a gummy smile is the result of excessive gum tissue covering teeth that are a normal length and shape. To correct this problem and give you a smile you can show off with pride, our periodontist may suggest crown lengthening. During this treatment, we will remove a small amount of the gum tissue, revealing more of the tooth structure and giving your smile a more aesthetic appearance. In some cases, the bone may be reshaped as well to give longer-lasting results. This usually requires just one visit to our office.

We may also recommend crown lengthening to make a restorative or cosmetic dental treatment possible. If the tooth is broken below or very close to the gumline or if insufficient tooth structure is left for a restoration, our periodontist may use crown lengthening to expose more of the tooth so a restoration like a crown or bridge can be placed.

To learn more about the uses and benefits of crown lengthening, we welcome you to contact our office today.