Crown lengthening (or crown exposure) is required when your tooth needs a new crown or other restoration and the edge of that restoration is deep below the gum tissue and not accessible. The edge of the restoration can also be too close to the bone or below the bone. Many dentists refer patients to specialists for crown lengthening procedures prior to repairing broken or severely decayed teeth, but at Tavormina Dentistry, we are the specialists, and our patients’ beautifully improved smiles are the proof.
Dr. Vincent Tavormina has extensive experience with crown lengthening procedures and has provided this service to patients from Millburn, Short Hills, Springfield, Summit, Maplewood and throughout Union, Morris, Essex and Somerset counties. The crown lengthening procedure involves adjusting the levels of the gum tissue and bone around the tooth in question to create a new gum-to-tooth relationship.
Crown lengthening can help both to restore function and to improve the esthetics of your gumline. Sometimes the procedure is used to improve a “gummy” smile. This is when the teeth appear to be too short and there is too much visible gum. The teeth may actually be the proper length, but because a lot of gum shows, your teeth can look short. The removal of excess gum tissue adds to the length of the crown. If there actually was extra gum tissue present, then the crown lengthening procedure may be all that’s necessary to improve the beauty of your smile. If the teeth appeared short but there wasn’t actually excessive gum tissue present, dental veneers may be needed to create cosmetic teeth.
The crown lengthening procedure can be done using a scalpel or a dental diode laser. With the use of the laser, most people find that they have a faster healing time and are more comfortable during the healing phase (one to two weeks). If you live in Mountainside, Livingston, West Orange, or anywhere in northern New Jersey, please call us at Tavormina Dentistry at 973-761-5090 for a consultation.