Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening can be done to repair a decayed tooth or to cosmetically enhance a smile.
Cavities can decay a tooth to the point where restoration is virtually impossible without a procedure called crown lengthening. Crown lengthening is a routine surgical procedure, which remodels the contour of the gum line. The procedure does not actually lengthen the crown, but rather lowers the gum line. When there is not enough tooth structure to affix a crown, this is the only option. Sometimes a tooth has been broken below the gum line. In this instance, crown lengthening is very successful in exposing more of the tooth, so that the dentist has something to work with.
Crown lengthening can also be done to correct a "gummy" smile. The procedure exposes more of your tooth, which can create a more beautiful and symmetrical smile.