The crown is the part of the tooth that sits atop the gums – the pearly whites that make up your smile. Sometimes there is not enough crown. Perhaps your tooth is broken below the gum line or has insufficient tooth structure for restoration. In this case, the gum, temporarily removed, provides access to the problem area. The second reason for crown lengthening is to improve the look of your smile. It is a relatively simple, painless procedure.
Functional Crown Lengthening
The decay buried beneath the layer of gum surrounding the tooth crown is difficult to access. The untreated decay will likely end in tooth loss. Once the decay is removed, the dentist repositions the excised gum and proceeds to work on the tooth. The procedure also creates more tooth structure as a solid basis for new crowns. In the case of tooth fracture, crown lengthening saves partially fractured teeth from extraction.
Esthetic Crown Lengthening
You may have noticed that some people are all gums when they smile. Their gums come too far down on their teeth, making their entire face appear out of proportion. As the name implies, esthetic crown lengthening corrects this look by moving gums up to reveal a more natural smile. Aesthetic crown lengthening, a relatively simple procedure, provides immediate improvement with little if any downtime.
The 5 Benefits of Crown Lengthening
- Save a tooth. Even if a natural crown breaks the tooth can still be saved. However, it may be necessary to remove excess gum tissue from around the tooth to work on it before installing a crown.
- Improve your smile.A multi-tooth crown lengthening operation evens out an inconsistent gum line and/or lower the whole thing if gums are too high and hiding your pearly whites.
- Reduced risk of tooth decay. Oral health problems, including tooth decay, are less likely with normal gums versus “high” gums that conceal areas inaccessible to the brushing where bacteria thrive.
- Support a filling or crown. The gums must properly seal around a dental crown, implant, or bridge. To do that, gums must set at a proper level. Plus, it is difficult to put in a filling with too much gum tissue in the way.
- Enable an extraction.Tooth extraction may require the removal of excess periodontal tissue around the tooth to expedite an extraction.
If you have too much gum tissue, an uneven gum line, or otherwise could benefit from a crown lengthening procedure, don’t wait. If you live in Paoli, PA or the surrounding area call Think Oral Implants and Periodontics for a free consultation. Think Oral Implants and Periodontics, office located at 250 W. Lancaster Ave., Suite 215, Paoli, PA 19301 (610) 550-3333.