Crown Lengthening: Procedure, Benefits & Costs

The key to a healthy and confident smile is balance. Having the right proportions between your gums, teeth, and lips is essential for an even and aesthetically pleasing smile. Occasionally, an excess of gum tissue can give your teeth a shorter appearance. The solution for this? Crown lengthening.

Crown lengthening is a very common restorative procedure that's designed to give you a cosmetic boost. It adjusts the balance of your gums and bone so that more of your tooth's surface is exposed. Whether it's for a simple smile enhancement or to create more space for a new dental crown, having a clear understanding of the procedure will allow you to make a well-informed decision.

What Is Crown Lengthening

Dental crown lengthening is a surgical treatment that's used to expose more of your tooth's surface. It achieves this by reshaping and removing gum tissue and even small portions of bone in certain cases. Typically done by a trained periodontist or experienced cosmetic dentist, the procedure can be performed on single or multiple teeth for a noticeable improvement in appearance and function.

The treatment is perfect for patients whose gums excessively cover up their teeth, which is often called a “gummy” smile. Crown lengthening can also come in handy when your orthodontist requires more of your teeth to be exposed so they can properly apply a crown, filling, or veneer. Issues such as chipped teeth can often require restorative work that needs gum adjustments.

Why Is Crown Lengthening Done?

Your orthodontist may recommend crown lengthening for various cosmetic and functional improvements, including:

• Fixing a “gummy” smile: If your gums cover too much of your tooth's surface, a crown lengthening procedure can drastically improve the visual appeal of your smile.
• Restoring damaged teeth: Extreme decay or damage that extends below your gum line may require crown lengthening so that the affected area can be exposed and properly treated.
• Fitting dental crowns and fillings: Your orthodontist won't be able to properly attach a dental crown if there is an excess of gum tissue covering your teeth.
• Improving oral health: Reshaping your gum line can get rid of pockets prone to bacterial accumulation.

As you can see, crown lengthening has both useful cosmetic and functional benefits, improving aesthetics and making overall oral health easier to manage.

Crown Lengthening Procedure: Step by Step

The crown lengthening procedure cost may be determined by the complexity of the individual case, but the process itself follows a relatively concrete set of steps, which include:

• Consultation and planning: Your dentist will first take an X-ray and then analyse your teeth and bone levels so they can create an accurate and effective treatment plan.
• Local anesthesia: Your orthodontist will numb the area using a local anesthetic so that the procedure can remain entirely pain-free.
• Gum adjustment: Once anesthetics have been administered, your dentist will begin surgically removing any excess gum tissue around the affected teeth.
• Bone reshaping (if needed): For certain cases, minuscule amounts of bone might need to be removed so that more of the affected teeth can be exposed.
• Cleaning and closure: After your tooth surface is properly exposed, your gums will be reshaped, sterilized, and then sutured.

The entire dental crown lengthening procedure takes about an hour or two. It will take a few weeks at least for your mouth to fully heal; you’ll notice your gum contour and smile consistently improving throughout this healing period.

Aftercare and Recovery

After your crown lengthening procedure is done, you must ensure that you take the correct steps to guarantee faster healing and a better end result.

• Switch to a soft-bristle brush and use gentle circular motions when brushing.
• Stick to soft, easy-to-chew foods during the early days of the healing period.
• Try not to touch or stretch out your lips near the treated area.
• Ensure that you make it to follow-up appointments for suture removal and progress checks.

If you're experiencing mild soreness or swelling after the procedure, don't worry, it's fairly normal. Your dentist can recommend a proper plan for pain relief. In most cases, a patient can get back to normal activities after a couple of days, despite full healing taking 6 to 8 weeks.

Benefits of Dental Crown Lengthening

The advantages of crown lengthening go beyond simple cosmetic improvements. Here are some of the biggest advantages of crown lengthening:

Improved aesthetics: Having more visible teeth leads to a brighter, more balanced smile.

Better crown placement: You will be able to get more secure dental crowns that last for much longer.

Enhanced gum health: You won't have to worry about periodontal pockets and the infections caused by them.

Restoration access: It will be much easier for your orthodontist to treat decay or fractures below your gum line.

Crown lengthening can also complement other cosmetic treatments. Treatments for chipped or jagged teeth can greatly benefit from crown lengthening procedures.

Crown Lengthening Cost in Canada

The crown lengthening cost varies heavily based on which province you're in and your chosen dental clinic. Here are some of the factors that determine the cost:

• The number of teeth on which the procedure is being applied.
• Whether bone removal is needed or not.
• The experience level of the dentist and the location of the clinic
• Procedures linked to the treatment, like fillings or crowns.

For most Canadian cities, the cost for crown lengthening can range from CAD 350 to 1000 per tooth. Extreme cases that involve multiple teeth or bone adjustments often bring up the crown lengthening price, whereas a simple gum contouring treatment is much cheaper. If your chosen orthodontic professional suggests the procedure before fixing a crown or veneer, you should ask for a full treatment estimate, including the teeth lengthening cost.

Is Crown Lengthening Worth It?

For many people, the process is more than worth it since it can solve both cosmetic and functionality-related issues. A gum line that's properly contoured won't just give your smile a visual boost; it’ll make your other restorative treatments more secure, which can prevent costly touch-ups.

When compared to other cosmetic treatments, crown lengthening has considerable long-term benefits, drastically reducing the risk of decay spreading beneath your gum line. Overall, the procedure is extremely valuable for patients who may want further restorative treatments.

Crown Lengthening Price vs. Value

The up-front cost of crown lengthening may seem daunting at first, but its value cannot be understated. For many patients, dentists will perform a clinical crown lengthening once per tooth, meaning it's a single payment for a significant long-term improvement. You’ll have better overall oral health, a brighter, more even smile, and be able to get further restorative treatment with minimal complications, making the procedure quite cost-effective if you think about it.

The Bottom Line on Crown Lengthening

From fixing gummy smiles to smoothing restorative treatment procedures, dental crown lengthening is a valuable procedure that takes care of both aesthetic and functional complications. The crown lengthening procedure cost may dissuade you at first, but its long-term benefits to your oral health cannot be understated. From healthier gums to brighter smiles, the process is more than worth it.

If you’re looking into a dental restoration or looking into various cosmetic treatments, you should discuss crown lengthening with your dentist. They will let you know if the procedure can enhance the outcomes of whatever procedure you settle on.