Crown lengthening
Teeth, throughout life, undergo physiological or pathological processes that change their structure, shape or relationship with neighboring structures.
In order to achieve satisfactory aesthetic and functional results, the doctor often resorts to small interventions designed to give the teeth either an improved appearance or the possibility of being restored and maintained on the arch without having to be removed.
Crown lengthening is one of the artificial procedures the dentist sometimes resorts to, as this is a microsurgical procedure and the main purpose is aesthetical.
Also, some prosthetic restorations or fillings cannot always be applied without performing this procedure beforehand.
The aim of coronal lengthening is to harmonies the gingival contour and increase the visible coronal surface of the tooth. This helps to remove excess gum tissue and will automatically lead to a more beautiful smile.
The procedure itself is not very time-consuming and can be performed in a single session.
It is the doctor who will decide whether only gum tissue will be removed or if bone reshaping is also needed.
Ideally, this procedure is carried out using a dental laser.
The benefits of using a laser are many and we mention the most important ones:
Pain is reduced or even eliminated compared to standard gum cutting procedures.
Bleeding is absent. In conventional therapy, by cutting the gum excess with the scalpel blade, even if the soft tissue is well anaesthetized, there is a considerable amount of blood which makes the whole process difficult. This inconvenience, which can lead to decreased visibility of the operating field and increased working time, is eliminated by the use of lasers.
Because the bleeding is considerably reduced, or even disappears, then increased amounts of anesthesia are no longer required. A small amount to gently anaesthetize the surrounding soft tissues is enough for the procedure to be performed in the best conditions for both patient and doctor.
At the end of the coronal lengthening procedure by conventional methods the gingiva is sutured to direct the healing to achieve the desired esthetic result. with the use of laser, there is no need to apply sutures at the end of the procedure.
Healing times are considerably reduced and the desired appearance is achieved much faster with laser.
Anyone with very good hygiene can benefit from this procedure, which is indicated in the following situations:
Deep cavities that extend to the subgingival, when it is necessary to remove gum tissue.
If the teeth have too short crowns, the procedure can be performed for prosthetic purposes or purely for aesthetic purposes.
Deep cavities that extend subgingival, when it is necessary to remove gum tissue to fill them.
If teeth have crowns that are too short, the procedure can be performed for prosthetic purposes or purely for aesthetic purposes.
In the case of subsequent single-tooth denture coverage, longer teeth have better retention. If the procedure is carried out purely for aesthetic purposes, the excess gum removed will give the smile a better, healthier appearance.
Whether it is a necessity in order to continue dental treatment or a desire to improve appearance, crown lengthening is a simple procedure with broad indications and great results.