What Crown Lengthening Can Do for Your Smile

When a tooth fractures, it sometimes leaves tooth structure below the gum line. Even if it’s a clean break, microscopic fractures may extend toward the root, making what’s left of the tooth unstable. In lieu of a crown, our Northridge cosmetic dentist may recommend a procedure called “crown lengthening”, which contours or rolls back gum tissue to expose more tooth. Crown lengthening makes a positive impact on the relationship between bone and tissue, ensuring both are represented equally.

Patients who especially benefit from crown lengthening are those with gummy smiles. Technically defined as excess gingival tissue on the cervical third of the crown, gummy smiles make many people smile less as a result. Our dentist uses crown lengthening to reduce the amount of visible gum—more than two millimeters of gum exposure is considered excessive.

If a tooth set low in the gum requires a crown, a lengthening procedure can open space between the tooth and your jaw. Adjacent teeth are often included in the lengthening, which allows the surrounding tissue to reshape at a softer pace.

Crown lengthening is considered a surgical procedure, so your dentist will review your medical history before recommending it. You may also need an updated set of X-rays.