Cosmetic Crown Lengtheningin San Francisco

If your teeth look short, square or hidden behind your gums, the teeth themselves are often a normal size. The gum, and sometimes the bone under it, simply never moved back to where it should after the teeth came in.

Why Some Teeth Look Short

As adult teeth erupt, the gum and bone normally settle back to just above the enamel. In some people they stop short, leaving part of the crown of each tooth covered. The result is short-looking teeth and a smile that shows a lot of gum. Cosmetic crown lengthening reshapes the gum, and the bone where necessary, to uncover the full tooth.

Gum Only, or Gum and Bone

If only excess gum is covering the teeth and the bone underneath is in the right place, the gum can be reshaped with a laser. That is laser gum contouring, with a quick recovery.

If the bone also sits too close to the enamel, removing gum alone does not last: the gum needs a set amount of space above the bone, and it grows back to restore that space, or becomes chronically inflamed. In that case the bone is gently reshaped as well, so the new gum line is stable. Dr. Samadian measures where the bone is before recommending either approach.

Planned Around the Final Smile

Crown lengthening is often the first step of a smile design. The new gum line is planned from the proportions of your teeth, your lips and your smile line, so that veneers or crowns placed afterwards look natural. Where no restorations are planned, the aim is simply even, natural-length teeth.

What It Won't Fix

A gummy smile has several possible causes. Crown lengthening corrects teeth covered by gum and bone. It does not correct a smile caused by an upper lip that lifts very high, or by the upper jaw being positioned low. Those are assessed at the consultation and, where relevant, other options are explained.

Recovery

Laser-only reshaping heals within days. When bone is reshaped, expect some swelling and tenderness for several days and sutures for about a week or two. The gum line continues to settle for a few months, and any veneers or crowns are made after it has stabilized.

Risks

Swelling, discomfort and bleeding; temporary sensitivity of the newly exposed tooth surface; slight unevenness needing touch-up; and, if the gum rebounds, a second procedure. Taking off too much is avoided by planning from measurements and a mock-up first.

Related Treatments

Cosmetic Crown Lengthening FAQ

What is cosmetic crown lengthening?

A procedure that reshapes the gum, and sometimes the bone beneath it, so more of each tooth shows. It treats teeth that look short because gum and bone cover part of them.

What is the difference between gum contouring and crown lengthening?

Gum contouring removes excess gum only. Crown lengthening also reshapes the bone when it sits too close to the tooth, which is necessary for the new gum line to stay put.

Will my gums grow back after crown lengthening?

If bone is reshaped where it needs to be, the new gum line is stable. Gum removed without addressing bone that sits too high tends to grow back, which is why bone level is measured first.

Does crown lengthening hurt?

It is done under local anesthetic. Laser-only treatment is usually comfortable within a day or two; bone reshaping involves several days of soreness, managed with medication.

Can it be combined with veneers?

Yes, and it often is. The gum line is set first, allowed to settle, and then the veneers are designed to the new proportions.

Treating patients throughout San Francisco. Dr. Samadian specializes in treatments such as smile makeovers, porcelain veneers, digital reconstructions, aesthetic dentistry, and dental implants. Focusing on regeneration and restoring tooth structure, bone loss, and gum recession utilizing the latest LANAP laser technology.