What is the Crown Lenthening Procedure?

Most people have small ways they would like to improve their smiles, and crown lengthening cleveland tx is an easy way to really make a huge change to improve your first impression on other people.  If you have ever looked at your smile and wondered if you could make your teeth longer, make your gums less pronounced, or make your smile more symmetrical, then you have already thought about crown lengthening.  If you feel like your teeth are too short or you would like to see more tooth in your smile and less gum, then you may already have had a conversation with your dentist or periodontist.

What is a crown?

To start, crowns are also referred to as caps.  They fit over your natural tooth to improve the appearance of the tooth and to protect the tooth from damage and decay.  A crown can be used as a way to prevent the tooth from having to be removed if it was damaged in an accident or if the cavity is too large for a filling or in a more visible place on the tooth.  Crowns can be used to change the shape of your tooth, the color of your tooth or even offer the dentist a way to balance out your smile if your teeth vary greatly in size.

Crowns are used in a variety of dental procedures; dentists rely on crowns to complete bridges, root canals, dental implants, and tooth decay repair.  Dentists cement crowns into place on existing teeth.  The tooth must be prepared for the crown by removing the enamel to sure a firm adhesion.  Once the enamel has been removed from a tooth, it will not grow back.  From this point forward, the enamel free tooth will need a crown to protect the tooth from bacteria and cavities.

Dental surgeons use crown lengthening to help patients achieve healthier, fuller smiles by performing a multistep procedure.  First the surgeons recontour the gums, either removing tissue or reshaping the tissue.  Then the surgeons can recontour the bone to again create the impression of a larger tooth or smaller gums.  The surgeon needs to create a longer tooth surface so the crown has a place to attach firmly.  The procedure is common and often requires most surgeons less than an hour from start to finish.

Depending on what you and your dental surgeon agreed on for your treatment plan, you may only have one tooth that needs some adjusting, your gum line may need to be evened out or perhaps you have many teeth to address to help you achieve a broader smile than you have now.  In some cases, dentists may recommend a crown lengthening procedure to help restore a decayed tooth that is damaged below the gumline.  Because the surgeon can cut back the gum and alter the bone level, the dentist has more of an opportunity to save your tooth.  Avoiding an extraction and dental implant with a crown lengthening is not an option for everyone, but you could ask your dentist if it is something to consider.

More information on Crown Lengthening : How Much Does Crown Lengthening Cost?