Periodontal Disease: Crown Lengthening

When you look in the mirror, does your gumline look uneven? Or do you see too little gum? These are common effects of periodontal disease. A type of gum surgery called gingival surgery can lower or even out the gumline. And if more of the tooth needs to be exposed, gingival surgery can fix that, too. One type of gingival surgery is called crown lengthening.

Functional crown lengthening: Gum and bone are removed. The remaining portion of the tooth can now support a replacement crown.

Cosmetic crown lengthening: Removing gum can create a more attractive smile.

How Crown Lengthening Works

Surgery to expose more of the crown (the part of the tooth you can see) includes:

• Functional lengthening. In some cases, a restoration (artificial crown) is needed. Gum and bone are removed to expose enough tooth to anchor the new crown. This also helps prevent future damage to gum and bone near the restoration.

• Cosmetic lengthening. This is done to remove an overgrowth of gum tissue that causes a "gummy" smile. It can improve appearance and may make teeth easier to keep clean.