Crown lengthening, or crown exposure, is undertaken when your tooth needs a new crown or other restoration, but a portion of the area in need of restoration is below the gum tissue and therefore inaccessible. In many cases, it is also too close to the bone or even below the bone.

The procedure involves adjusting the levels of the gum tissue and bone around the tooth to create a new, more effective gum-tooth relationship. This allows us to reach new areas during restoration to ensure a proper fit to the tooth. It should also provide enough tooth structure so the new restoration will not come loose in the future. This allows you to clean the edge of the restoration when you brush and floss to prevent decay and gum disease. The procedure takes approximately one hour.

 

The procedure requires sutures and a protective bandage upon completion to help secure the new gum/tooth arrangement. One or two weeks after the procedure, you will need to return so that we can remove the sutures and make sure your gums are properly healing.