Crown lengthening reshapes your gum line to allow the restoration of compromised teeth. It also helps treat advanced gum disease and can enhance your beautiful smile.
What Is Crown Lengthening?
Crown lengthening allows for better contact between a restorative crown and the tooth. Periodontists perform this procedure by making incisions in the gum tissue. These incisions uncover the compromised tooth. In some cases, periodontists may also reshape the bone underneath the gum line.
This technique is helpful when the tooth that needs a crown has broken or decayed. Crown lengthening increases the chance of successful restoration.
You may also want crown lengthening for cosmetic reasons. Crown lengthening can correct the amount of gum visible when you smile.
Benefits of Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening has a range of benefits for periodontal patients. It supports the success of future procedures, creating long-lasting results.
Crowns and Bridges Fit Better
Sometimes gums are too high to provide enough space to attach a crown or bridge. With crown lengthening, it’s easier for a crown or bridge to adhere to the tooth.
Saving Broken Teeth
If your tooth breaks, your periodontist may not be able to attach a crown to restore it. Reshaping the gum tissue around the tooth allows access to healthy areas.
Treating Cavities Below the Gum Line
Sometimes X-rays will catch a cavity below the gum line. Crown lengthening allows the periodontist to treat the cavity before it becomes a significant problem.
Treating Periodontal Disease
Crown lengthening treats deep pockets along the gum line caused by periodontal disease. These pockets harbor dangerous bacteria and can lead to tooth loss.
Improving Your Smile
Many people want to improve their smile for cosmetic reasons. When the gums are too low around the front teeth, this may cause people to dislike their smiles. Crown lengthening exposes more of the tooth and allows an even, bright smile.
Are You a Good Candidate for Crown Lengthening?
You may have dental problems that need better access to healthy tooth surfaces. For example, you may need a crown on a tooth broken below the gum line. In this case, you are a good candidate for crown lengthening procedures.
If you have periodontal disease, you can also benefit from crown lengthening. Crown lengthening helps treat severe gum disease, along with procedures like scaling and root planing.
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If you want to change your gum line for aesthetic reasons, you are an excellent candidate for crown lengthening. Crown lengthening helps uncover healthy teeth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Crown Lengthening
Here are periodontists’ answers to frequently asked questions about crown lengthening procedures:
Why is crown lengthening needed?
If a tooth breaks or the gum has grown up too close to the top, it may not be easy to seat a crown. Your periodontist may need to increase your tooth’s surface area to place a restoration.
Deep pockets in your gums may be harboring infection. Crown lengthening can help to expose and treat them. Also, crown lengthening can treat tooth decay below the gum line.
Can I get crown lengthening for cosmetic reasons?
Patients may be unhappy with the aesthetic appearance of their gums. Crown lengthening can contour gums, exposing more tooth surfaces for a perfect smile.
Is crown lengthening painful?
Crown lengthening itself should not be painful. Periodontists perform crown lengthening procedures using a local anesthetic for your comfort. Most patients report no discomfort during the procedure.
Periodontists recommend ice and over-the-counter pain medications when you arrive at home. There may be some soreness afterward.
We offer sedation dentistry if you have concerns about the procedure and feel you need to relax.
How long after this procedure can I get a new crown?
Periodontists want the gum to heal for about three months before placing a new crown. Waiting three months increases the chance of a successful restoration.
Why Choose Hudson Valley Periodontics & Implantology?
We have skilled, compassionate periodontists and support staff. We offer laser dentistry and other new techniques to reduce your healing time after a procedure.
Our office is located in the Hudson Valley region of New York. We are a short drive away from Upper Nyack, Central Nyack, Nanuet, Congers, and Pomona, NY, among other locations.
Hudson Valley Periodontics & Implantology, have been proudly serving the communities of Rockland & Orange County, NY for more than 20 years. Their periodontists perform a thorough assessment of your dental health and provide services such as dental implants, laser dentistry, crown lengthening, and sedation dentistry. Contact Hudson Valley Periodontics & Implantology today!