Esthetic and pre-prosthetic crown lengthening
Sometimes there is not enough tooth showing. Either for the way a smile looks, or for a crown to have anything to grip.
What it does
Crown lengthening reshapes gum and, where needed, the bone underneath, to expose more of the natural tooth.
Aesthetically it corrects a gummy smile, where teeth look short because the gum sits low over them rather than because the teeth are small.
Before a restoration it creates enough tooth structure for a crown or bridge to hold — a tooth broken or decayed near the gum line may have nothing left above it for a crown to grip.
Who it is for
People whose dentist cannot fit a crown because the remaining tooth sits at or below the gum.
People who feel their smile shows more gum than tooth, and want to know what can be done about it.
It also improves cleaning access around a restoration, which is part of why it improves how long that restoration lasts.
Recovery
Expect soreness around the reshaped tissue and a period on softer food. The gum needs time to settle into its new position before the final restoration is made.
You will be given aftercare on the day, and the timing for the restorative work is agreed with your dentist so nothing is fitted too early.
Cost and insurance
Cost depends on how many teeth are involved and whether bone as well as gum is reshaped. You will have the figure before anything is booked.
Our insurance coordinator works through what your plan covers — treatment done to make a restoration possible is often treated differently from treatment done for appearance.
A tooth broken near the gum line has nothing for a crown to grip. Crown lengthening is what gives it something.
Questions we are asked
Open any of them. If yours is not here, the front desk will answer it on the phone.
01Is it cosmetic or necessary?
It can be either. Correcting a gummy smile is aesthetic; creating enough tooth for a crown to hold is what makes the restoration possible at all. Which applies to you changes how insurance treats it.
02Will my gums look uneven afterwards?
The reshaping is planned around the finished result, including the teeth either side. The gum settles over a period before the final restoration is made, which is why that work is not rushed.
03How long before my dentist can fit the crown?
The gum needs to settle into its new position first. The timing is agreed with your dentist as part of the plan rather than decided afterwards.
04Is bone always removed?
Not always — sometimes reshaping the gum alone is enough. Whether bone is involved depends on where the tooth sits relative to it, and it is established before treatment.
Not sure this is what you need?
Most people are not, on the first call. Book a comprehensive evaluation and we will tell you what we find, and what it would take to put right.