While the goal of periodontal procedures is to eliminate pocketing, maintain bone support and to allow improved cleansability of the teeth, some periodontal procedures are indicated to improve aesthetics or to allow for the maintenance of a severely broken down tooth. One such procedure is periodontal crown lengthening.
This procedure is indicated in the case of a "gummy" smile where the teeth have adequate length but are covered by too much gum tissue. During this procedure, excess gum and tissue is reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth. This can be done to one tooth, to even your gum line, or to several teeth to expose a natural smile. We often do this procedure with a laser and oftentimes, without even local anesthesia. Your dentist may also recommend crown lengthening for restorative reasons. If a tooth is too short to restore or is broken down below the gum line, we can perform a crown lengthening procedure to expose more tooth structure to allow your dentist to save the tooth and to place a long lasting restoration.
