Why Crown Lengthening New York City Could Help Your Smile

Crown lengthening can be a very useful procedure as it can be used to treat a few different

problems. Although it might sound dramatic, it is often carried out quite frequently and the use

of dental lasers can be hugely beneficial.

 

When Might I Need Crown Lengthening?

If you have broken off a tooth right near the gum line, then it could be tricky for your dentist to

mend it, as a certain amount of the tooth has to be exposed and shaped in preparation for a dental

crown or a filling. In order to do this it is necessary to remove some of the gum tissue and

sometimes the bone covering up the tooth.

 

How is this done?

If you do need crown lengthening, then you will need to see a periodontist, for example Dr.

Navid Rahmani at Manhattan Periodontics & Implant Surgery. Dr. Rahmani will review your

dental history and may need to take dental x-rays to plan your surgery. This treatment can often

be carried out using the very latest laser technology. Dental lasers are extremely safe and

treatment is much more comfortable. Crown lengthening with a dental laser is often more

accurate as it will precisely cut the bone or gum tissue. The gums often heal more quickly after

laser surgery and there is less swelling and discomfort during the healing period.

Once the correct amount of gum and possibly bone has been removed, the gums are left to heal

for some time before the tooth can be permanently restored with a filling or a crown. If the tooth

needs a crown then you will be provided with a temporary crown to protect the tooth during the

healing period.

 

What about Crown Lengthening for Other Reasons?

You don’t necessarily need to have broken a tooth to benefit from crown lengthening as this

treatment is also useful for correcting a gummy smile. This is where the teeth are covered up by

an excess of gum tissue which is particularly visible whenever you smile, even though they may

be a perfectly reasonable length underneath. Removing the excess gum tissue with a laser can

create a more appealing smile and crown lengthening is often done for cosmetic purposes.

 

What is the Ideal Gum Line?

Ideally, whenever you smile you should not show very much gum tissue. The gums surrounding

your teeth should look balanced and even with contours that complement the shape of your upper

lip. Often people with an excess of gum tissue will feel reluctant to smile, feeling their teeth look

unattractive.

 

If you do have a gummy smile then it is important to get a proper diagnosis from your dentist or

periodontist. Although it is often caused by an excess of gum tissue there could be other reasons

for this condition. Sometimes it can be caused by overactive facial muscles which pull the upper

lip up too far. It can also be caused by abnormal growth of the teeth or bones. These can all be

corrected but treatment may be slightly different.

In: General Periodontal Topics | Periodontal Gum Surgery

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