Crown Lengthening

Crown Lengthening: Preparing Your Tooth or Perfecting Your Smile

Crown lengthening is a minor surgical procedure that exposes more of the tooth by reshaping the gum and, in some cases, a small amount of bone. It's done for two very different reasons, and we perform both.

The first is restorative: when decay or a fracture extends below the gumline, there may not be enough tooth structure above the gum to attach a crown properly. Crown lengthening exposes the part of the tooth that needs to be worked on, giving Dr. Ilies what she needs to place a strong, long-lasting restoration.

The second reason is cosmetic. If your smile shows more gum than tooth — sometimes called a "gummy smile" — crown lengthening can create a more balanced, proportionate look. The procedure is done under local anaesthetic and healing typically takes a few weeks. The results are permanent.