During your dental exam, it could be recommended that you consider a crown lengthening procedure. This is a common minor surgical procedure that simply reshapes your gums. The goal of the procedure is to visually expose more surface of a tooth. In some instances, the treatment might be performed to restore a tooth that is damaged below your gumline. After the crown lengthening, the tooth will now be able to properly support a crown.
To bond with a dental crown, the gum will also need at least two millimeters of surface area. This will help prevent the accumulation of any plaque or debris at the gumline. If there is just not sufficient tooth surface area available, it will hinder a successful crown restoration.
Are You a Candidate for Crown Lengthening
You may be interested in whether you would benefit from crown lengthening. The procedure is commonly used for an assortment of dental issues. The more frequent issues that require crown lengthening are:
- There is severe decay below the gumline.
- A tooth that is fractured or broken beneath the gumline.
- Your teeth appear short relative to your gums during a smile, which is a gummy smile.
A tooth with decay or a fracture has a limited amount of surface area. The reduced area impacts the success of a crown restoration because of the diminished surface area. Crown lengthening exposes additional healthy surface area to enhance the likelihood of a successful restoration. The additional surface area improves the capability for the crown to permanently adhere and remain in place.
Crown Lengthening Procedure
Crown lengthening is a frequent and common dental procedure. The treatment can most often be performed at a dental office in less than an hour. Before your procedure, you might be fit for a temporary crown. A temporary crown helps protect the damaged tooth while your gums heal. The permanent crown is usually placed after several months of healing.
A periodontist quite often performs the procedure. This is a dentist with specific training regarding your gum health. A local anesthetic is administered first to make sure you stay comfortable during the procedure and will not experience any discomfort. There are also other sedation methods that can be introduced if you have dental anxiety. The dentist then removes and reshapes the gums surrounding the affected teeth. Sometimes, certain specialized surgical instruments can be used to recontour the underlying bone tissue. The gums are adjusted to make sure they are symmetrical in appearance, needed to accommodate a dental restoration.
Crown Lengthening Recovery
You might experience some minor discomfort and swelling after the procedure. Over-the-counter pain relievers and an ice pack usually manage any discomfort and swelling. You should avoid tobacco or smoking during your recovery period. You should also avoid hot foods or drinks for the first 24 hours because your gums will be extremely sensitive. You can return to work and eat soft foods one day after surgery. All strenuous activity needs to be avoided for two days. The stitches will be removed within two weeks. Your dentist will schedule a follow-up appointment within a couple of months to monitor that the gums are healing properly. After your gums have healed, you are then ready to have your permanent restoration placed.
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