Periodontal procedures are available to lay the groundwork for restorative and cosmetic dentistry, to improve function and the appearance of your patient’s smile.

Crown lengthening surgery

Periodontal procedures such as crown lengthening are available to lay the groundwork for restorative and cosmetic dentistry, to improve function and the appearance of your smile.

If your tooth is decayed, broken below the gum line or there is insufficient tooth structure left, we may recommend crown lengthening to make a restorative procedure possible. Crown lengthening adjusts the gum and bone levels to expose more of the tooth so it can be crowned.

What are the benefits of the procedure?

Whether you have crown lengthening to improve function or appearance, you often receive the benefits of both. You will have –

• Improved gum or periodontal health and the area will be easier to clean.
• A better quality restoration that will certainly last longer as a consequence of having this procedure performed.

Questions we are often asked

How long will it take to heal?

You can generally expect to return to your normal routine on the following day.

It is important to follow the written instructions we give you. For the first week there are certain restrictions on cleaning and what you can eat. You will have sutures (or stitches) which are covered by a special “bandage” or dressing. These are removed after one week.

We will provide you with a special mouth-rinse to use during the initial 2-week healing period so you will not have to clean the area as you would normally. At two weeks you are back to your normal cleaning routine.

At the back of the mouth, the aesthetic demands are not as high and you can proceed with treatment (e.g. the final crown) after 6-8 weeks. If however the tooth is visible in your smile, then to gain a natural result, it is important to allow a 20-week stabilizing period before the final crown is made. This extra “healing period” allows subtle adjustments in the gum height to occur.

Will it hurt?

We use modern techniques and medications to make your treatment comfortable and pain-free and to minimise post-operative discomfort.