Sometimes when a tooth needs a crown, there isn't enough visible tooth above the gumline—there's too much gum covering it. Crown lengthening is a procedure where we carefully remove some gum tissue (and sometimes a small amount of bone) to expose more of the tooth structure. This gives us enough room to place a crown that's both strong and beautiful.
Crown lengthening can also be done for cosmetic reasons if you have a "gummy smile"—if your gums cover too much of your teeth and make your smile look short. By lengthening the crown of the teeth, we create better proportions and reveal more of your smile.
The procedure is straightforward and takes about an hour. After a short healing period of a few weeks, the area is ready for crown placement or your cosmetic transformation is complete. Many patients are thrilled with how much more prominent and youthful their smile looks after crown lengthening.