Crown Lengthening

Pacific Periodontics & Dental Implant Centre in monterey & salinas, ca

Crown lengthening can correct a gummy smile by exposing more of the natural tooth structure that is hidden beneath excess gum tissue (and, in some cases, a small amount of underlying bone).

Here’s how it works:

Why do some people have a gummy smile?

A gummy smile can occur for several reasons, including:

• Excess gum tissue covering the teeth
• Teeth that appear short because they never fully erupted
• Excess jaw growth (vertical maxillary excess)
• A hyperactive upper lip that lifts too high when smiling

Crown lengthening is most effective when the gummy appearance is caused by too much gum tissue or altered passive eruption (when the gums don’t recede enough after the teeth erupt).

How crown lengthening works

During the procedure, a periodontist or oral surgeon:

1. Gently reshapes and removes excess gum tissue.
2. If necessary, removes a small amount of bone around the teeth to establish a healthy distance between the bone and the gumline (known as the biologic width or supracrestal tissue attachment).
3. Repositions the gums higher on the teeth.
4. Allows the area to heal, revealing more of each tooth’s natural crown.

The teeth themselves are not made longer—more of the existing tooth becomes visible, creating a more balanced smile.

Crown lengthening (or crown exposure) is required when your tooth needs a new crown or other restoration. The edge of that restoration is deep below the gum tissue and not accessible. It is also usually too close to the bone or below the bone.

The procedure involves adjusting the level of the gum tissue and bone around the tooth in question to create a new gum-totooth relationship. This allows us to reach the edge of the restoration, ensuring a proper fit to the tooth. It should also provide enough tooth structure so the new restoration will not come loose in the future. This allows you to clean the edge of the restoration when you brush and floss to prevent decay and gum disease. The procedure takes approximately one hour.

When the procedure is completed, sutures, and a protective bandage are placed to help secure the new gum-to-tooth relationship. You will need to be seen in one or two weeks to remove the sutures and evaluate your healing.