Do your teeth appear to be “too short.” Sometimes this condition is called a “gummy smile.” Usually the teeth aren’t too short at all; they are simply covered by too much gum tissue. So, a crown-lengthening is a surgical dental procedure whereby excess gum and bone tissue are reshaped to reveal more of the natural tooth.
Crown-lengthening can be done for one tooth to even the patient’s gum line, or it can be done to several teeth, unveiling the full smile.
Occasionally a tooth cracks and breaks off at or below the gum line, leaving very little tooth structure to support a restorative treatment, like a filling, crown or a bridge. So, in order to repair the tooth, crown-lengthening is used to adjust the gum and bone levels to expose more of the tooth that it might be restored.
In some circumstances, a crown or filling has fallen out of a tooth and there is tooth decay lurking beneath. Crown-lengthening can give your dentist the opportunity and ability to address the problem properly.
In short, crown-lengthening addresses “gum problems” so your dentist or periodontist can tackle any “tooth problems” that may be afflicting you. Therefore, you should seek a gum expert like our skilled periodontist, Dr. Peterson.
As a periodontist, Dr. Peterson is a specialized and highly trained dentist who has expert knowledge pertaining to gum tissue treatments. So, don’t trust your smile to just any dentist; place yourself in the competent care of a distinguished professional who can give you exceptional care. Call 208.524.3400 to schedule an appointment.