Crown lengthening is a dental service that many people aren’t familiar with. Sadly, this therapy doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves! But our Phoenix patients should know it has restored the confidence of many individuals as well as saves at-risk teeth.
What is Crown Lengthening?
The visible part of your tooth that extends out of the gum is called the “crown”. Our teeth reach into the gum a bit before the root begins. During crown lengthening, the dentist carefully removes the loose gum tissue to make the exposed tooth longer.
But why would our Phoenix dentist need to make the tooth longer?
There are two several reasons why we offer crown lengthening; here are two of the more common ones:
Gummy Smile
Do you show a lot of gum tissue when you smile? Do your teeth look short? These are characteristics that can make some people very self-conscious about their appearance. If you have this problem, you may have considered cosmetic dentistry. But that’s too expensive, right? Well, while there are some forms of cosmetic work that are quite a time investment, a gummy smile can be fixed at an affordable price within minutes.
Our Phoenix dentist will evaluate your smile line to reshape and remove excess gum tissue to allow for more tooth exposure. The result will be a more radiant and proportionate smile.
Deep Decay
Here’s where this procedure is capable of saving your teeth. Is a portion of your tooth broken below the gum line, or badly decayed? You may be able to get a crown, which is a cover that goes over your tooth. It will protect your weak tooth and allow it to last longer.
But breakage and decay may have left you with an insufficient amount of good tooth structure to support this restoration. This is where crown lengthening comes into play. Our Phoenix restorative dentist can remove some of the gum tissue to expose more of the tooth, giving your crown more to hold on to.
What to Expect from Crown Lengthening
If only improving a gummy smile, this procedure is pretty fast and simple. For any discomfort afterward, you can take an over the counter anti-inflammatory medication and rinse with a mixture of warm water and salt a few times a day for a day or two.
When having to expose more tooth structure because of breakage or decay, the procedure will take longer. This is especially true if both bone and soft tissue are being removed. Depending on how much was done, you may be prescribed a mild relievers and mouth rinse. Some bleeding for a few days is normal. For a couple of weeks afterward, you should brush the area lightly and continue to rinse regularly to promote healthy healing.
We’re Looking Out for You
If you thought there was no help for your broken tooth, or if you believed that you were destined to live with your gummy smile forever, then you should call our Phoenix cosmetic dentist. The professional team of Central Valley Dentistry in Phoenix, AZ is here to provide you with exceptional care and reliable procedures for all your dental needs.
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