If you’ve been told recently by a dentist in Lombard that you need a crown lengthening procedure, you likely have a lot of questions about it.
Crown lengthening is a type of oral surgery used to reshape gums and expose more of the natural tooth. This dental procedure can be recommended for many different reasons, which often makes it rather confusing to patients.
To understand how this procedure works, and when it is necessary, keep on reading this short blog post.
What Is Crown Lengthening and When Do You Need It?
Crown lengthening happens when a dentist reduces the gum tissue and saves a bit of jaw bone to reveal more of a tooth.
The procedure is often necessary in cases where the patient needs various dental appliances, but the tooth itself might not be able to accommodate it because it is too short or too damaged.
For example, if a tooth is badly decayed, and the decayed tissue extends below the gum line, after cleaning it the tooth tissue might not be enough to support a dental crown. Crown lengthening can therefore be used to “get” more tooth tissue, and continue with the restoration procedure.
How Does Crown Lengthening Work?
Crown lengthening sounds rather scary, but it’s actually a more simple procedure than first meets the eye.
If you need this surgery, a gum specialist (periodontist) will first apply a local anesthetic or sedative to ensure you feel no pain or discomfort. Then using special surgical instruments, the periodontist recontours the gums and bone tissue until enough of the tooth is exposed.
The procedure itself is normally over in about 1 hour, and patients will need around 4-6 weeks to fully heal from it. After that, you can continue with the rest of your oral care treatments.
During healing, you may feel mild to moderate discomforts such as pain, swelling, and heightened sensitivity. But, all these symptoms will gradually diminish, and you can take OTC pain medication such as ibuprofen to relieve your discomfort in the meantime.
Is crown lengthening safe?
Crown lengthening is a safe procedure. However, some complications can appear in very rare cases, such as:
- Bleeding that doesn’t stop
- Increasing pain
- Infection
- Swelling and discharge, etc.
While it’s unlikely, you should monitor your symptoms and contact your periodontist right away if your discomfort persists a few days after surgery and seems to intensify.
Crown Lengthening at Brett Blacher DDS
If you might need crown lengthening to get dental appliances or restore an even look to your smile, Dr. Brett Blacher is here to help.
To get started, book a consultation at Brett Blacher DDS online, and stop by for a visit.
Want to learn more about crown lengthening or our other services? You can always call us directly at (630) 916-0701 for a chat. We’d be happy to answer all your questions.
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