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The Major Benefits Of Crown Lengthening

When you have too little gum tissue, a common problem, it’s best fixed through gum graft surgery and/or periodontal treatment. But when you have too much gum tissue, the opposite procedure, called crown lengthening, is in order.
This procedure involves the removal of excess periodontal tissue around one or more teeth so as to prevent crowns from seeming too close to the gum line. That is, it helps your teeth not to look short and your smile to look less “gummy”.

The 5 Major Benefits Of Crown Lengthening
The benefits of crown lengthening surgery correspond to the reasons for doing it to begin with. Here are the five most important advantages you stand to benefit from after this form of gum surgery:

  1. To save a tooth. If a natural crown has broken but the tooth can still be saved, it may be necessary to remove excess gum tissue from around the tooth in order to work on it and to install a dental crown.
  2. To improve your smile. A multi-tooth crown lengthening operation may even out an inconsistent gum line or lower the whole thing if it’s up too high and hiding your pearly whites!
  3. Reduced risk of tooth decay. Oral health problems, including tooth decay, are less likely with normal gums versus “high” gums because high gums cover up areas of your tooth that therefore can’t be brushed and kept free of bacteria.
  4. Supporting a filling or crown. For the gums to properly seal to a dental crown, implant, or bridge, the gum line must be set at the proper level. Plus, it is difficult or impossible to put in a filling when too much gum tissue is in the way.
  5. To enable an extraction. Finally, note that a tooth extraction may sometimes require removal of excess periodontal tissue around the tooth in question for the safest, fastest, and easiest extraction process.

5 Considerations Before Opting For Crown Lengthening
It may take only half an hour to perform a crown lengthening procedure, or an hour or two for multiple teeth. This can be a one-time deal that lasts for life and solves nagging problems. But is this dental surgery right for you? Here are five ways to weigh the answer to that question:

  • Are you frequently ashamed to smile, self-conscious about a gummy smile?
  • Is your gum line not just high at points but jaggedly uneven?
  • Is there a specific dental procedure, like receiving a crown or getting a filling or extraction, that virtually requires at least on-tooth crown lengthening?
  • Do you have both excessive gum tissue and a history of frequent tooth decay? Maybe there’s a connection and this surgery could fix the problem.
  • Are your teeth relatively wide or thin? Thin or average thickness teeth work well with crown lengthening, but if your teeth are very, very wide, they could look “big” after the surgery is over.

If you believe you have too much gum tissue, an uneven gum line, or otherwise could benefit from a crown lengthening procedure, there’s no need to wait while the problem continues or grows worse. Contact periodontist Dr. Raymond A. Kenzik today in Ormond Beach and throughout Central Florida for a free consultation and to schedule an in-person exam!

Located in Beautiful Ormond Beach

Ormond Beach Periodontics and Implant Dentistry is conveniently located off of Nova Road in Ormond Beach, Florida. We help seniors, adults, and teenagers smile with confidence.