Give your natural tooth
another opportunity.
A damaged tooth is not always a tooth you have to lose. Crown lengthening may make more tooth available for your dentist to restore. Selected cosmetic cases focus instead on revealing more of your natural smile.
Expose the tooth needed for a restoration.
When decay or a fracture extends near the gumline, your dentist may need more accessible tooth structure for a crown or filling. Crown lengthening adjusts the gum level and, when needed, the underlying bone to expose more of the natural tooth.
Restorative and cosmetic reasons differ.
A restorative plan focuses on the tooth your dentist needs to repair. In selected cosmetic cases, reshaping the gumline can also reveal teeth that look short because more of their surface is covered. An examination determines whether this is an appropriate option.
Coordinate the next restoration.
Bring your dentist’s recommendation and ask which tooth or teeth are involved. Discuss the proposed gumline, alternatives, recovery and when your dentist can complete the restoration. That timing should reflect healing rather than a standard promise on a website.
Your questions, answered.
Is crown lengthening the same as getting a crown?
No. It changes the tissue around a tooth; your restorative dentist provides the crown or filling as a separate part of the plan.
Will bone need to be reshaped?
Sometimes. Your evaluation determines whether the plan involves gum tissue alone or changes to the supporting bone as well.
When can my dentist finish the restoration?
Ask the two offices to coordinate that decision after reviewing the proposed procedure and healing. The appropriate interval varies.