Too much gum / crown lengthening

Dr. Marianne is the only dentist in Denmark with formal education and title in gumtreatments, and is therefore one of the few to offer this procedure.

If you have a “gummy” smile or uneven gum line, crown lengthening can help your teeth to look longer and more even. The procedure removes the excess gum tissue, exposing more of the “crown” of the tooth. The gum line is then  sculpted (or sutured) to create the right proportion between gum tissue and tooth surface. This sets the stage, allowing your new veneers or crowns to have the correct length and shape.

Reason for this treatment

The following examples could be reasons to get the procedure done:

  • “Gummy smile”, the teeth seem too small
  • Uneven gum line
  • As preparation for dentures or for fixed restorations.
  • As a part of periodontal disease treatment.
Before the procedure (Source: APP)
After the procedure (Source: APP)

 

 

 

 

 

Crown Lengthening before restorative/cosmetic dentistry

When getting a crown, the general dentist must prepare your tooth to receive the crown. Sometimes there is not enough tooth structure above the gum-line to accomplish this. This can be due to decay, fracture or a worn down tooth.

In order for gum tissue to attach on the tooth there must be 3 millimeters of healthy tooth between the margin of a crown and the bone. If not red, irritated gum and bone loss can be seen following crown placement. This gum condition is called “Violation of Biological Width”.

Crown lengthening provides more tooth for your crown, it ensures a more stable crown and allows for less gum irritation afterwards. Crown lengthening is highly predictable if carried out correctly.

The tooth that needs a crown (Source: APP)
After the crown extension, more of the tooth is now visible (Source: APP)
Now the crown fits the tooth perfectly (Source: APP)