Crown lengthening is required when decay or a restoration is too deep below the gum tissue and does not allow your dentist to access it adequately to repair. The procedure involves adjusting the level of the gum tissue and bone around the tooth to create access for the restorative material. This will allow long term access to be able to clean the area for the long term success of the restoration.
Crown lengthening may also be utilized to expose more tooth if you have a ‘gummy smile’. During this procedure, excess gum and bone 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, broad smile.