Crown lengthening is a periodontal treatment that may be recommended for functional or aesthetic purposes. It is often recommended to treat “gummy smiles,” or smiles in which the teeth appear unusually short due to excessive or bulky gum tissue. This excessive gum tissue may cause the gums to look like they come down too far over the teeth, often covering teeth that are a normal length and shape. Crown lengthening involves removing a small amount of the gum tissue to reveal more of your natural tooth structure and improve the appearance of your teeth and smile. This treatment can usually be completed in a single appointment.

Our experienced dentists may also recommend crown lengthening in order to make another treatment possible. For example, crown lengthening may be recommended if a tooth is broken below or very close to the gumline, or if there is not enough tooth structure exposed to support a restoration. This treatment works to expose more of the tooth so that a restoration such as a dental crown or bridge can be successfully placed.

For more information about crown lengthening and to schedule a consultation with our dentists, please contact our office and speak with a member of our team.