Menu
Those who feel that they have a “gummy” smile can greatly benefit from esthetic crown lengthening. This relatively simple procedure usually takes about an hour to perform and is essentially a “gum lift.” During the procedure, the doctor removes excess gum and bone tissue and reshapes the smile to expose more of the natural tooth. While this gum reduction surgery can be performed on just one tooth, it is often done on the entire smile. The end result is that more of the natural tooth surface is exposed creating a wider, more beautiful smile.
Esthetic crown lengthening can also be done to preserve the health of the smile. Removing excess gum tissue with gum reduction surgery can help control and prevent periodontal disease. Increasing the exposed surface area of the tooth will decrease the depth of periodontal pockets between the teeth and gums where bacteria can grow and harm your oral health.
Prior to the procedure, a local anesthetic will be administered by your doctor to prevent pain and discomfort. Small incisions in the gum tissue will be needed to separate the gums from the teeth. In some cases, a small amount of bone will also need to be removed to create a natural smile. Once the procedure is completed, the doctor will clean the incisions with sterile water and place sutures and a protective bandage over the area. This will encourage the teeth and newly contoured gums to reattach to each other. A follow up appointment will be needed one to two weeks after the procedure to evaluate healing.
