Crown Lengthening is a procedure that prepares teeth and gums for crowns and bridges. This is somewhat of a misnomer because we are really just exposing part of the tooth that is underneath the gum line. We do crown lengthening to expose enough tooth structure to produce the needed mechanical retention and keep a crown secure for decades.

     Some crown lengthening procedures are done to change the shape of the gums around teeth that show when you smile. The shape and size of your teeth should compliment the shape of your face and be displayed by the framing of your lips and gum tissue. Some teeth do not completely erupt out of the gum tissue and appear smaller than they actually are, or they are made smaller because they are broken or worn. The outline of the gum tissue is sometimes uneven because of the position of teeth. In these cases, the framing or the presentation of the teeth can be enhanced by shaping of the soft tissue and underlying bone. Changing the shape of the gingival tissue and exposing more of the tooth structure can produce a striking change in the appearance of your teeth.