Do your gums come up too high on your teeth, giving you a gummy smile? Do you dream for a broader, more beautiful smile? Ask Dr. Robert P. Sherman about crown lengthening in Leawood, Kansas! During this process, excess gum and bone tissue is reshaped and contoured to uncover more of your teeth. Depending on your needs, our dentist will do this to one tooth, your entire gum line, or several teeth.
If your teeth are covered with too much gum tissue, your teeth may appear small. This may occur because of genetics, a health problem, or the use of certain prescription drugs. Though crown lengthening improves the look of your smile, it is not usually required for oral health reasons. However, our dentist may decide to perform crown lengthening in order to perform a restorative or cosmetic dental procedure. If your tooth is decayed or broken below the gums, or if it does not have enough structure left above the gums to place a restoration, crown lengthening may be required. Crown lengthening exposes more of your tooth so restorations can be made.
The healing process from crown lengthening can take from a few days to a few weeks. Limit your activities on the day of surgery and get some rest. Take over-the-counter medicines to ease the pain, but do not take aspirin, which can cause bleeding. Eat soft, cool foods for the first few days following surgery.
To find out if crown lengthening is for you and to schedule a consultation, contact our office today!