Crowns are commonly used dental prostheses which fit onto a natural tooth to assist with any structural or aesthetic issues. The crown must be able to adhere firmly to a surface of the natural tooth, and in some cases may need some assistance. This is where crown lengthening comes in. In situations such as severe decay or significant chipping, the remaining damaged tooth will need lengthening to properly fit a new crown.

Crown lengthening is performed as an outpatient procedure at our office. Your periodontist will first thoroughly clean the area before reflecting the gums back to be able to remove a minimal amount of bone to expose more of the tooth for your dentist to place a well fitted crown. Small sutures are used to secure the area upon completion of the process.

After a few weeks, your periodontist will evaluate your healing process. In general a period of 4-8 weeks is provided to allow for complete healing prior to fabricating your final crown following your crown lengthening procedure.

Properly fitting crowns allow for better oral hygiene, reduce gum swelling, and improve bone health. For more information on our services or to request an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (401) 521-5312.