Crown Lengthening at Garrison Family Dentistry

For patients who need dental work done on a tooth below the gum line, or for patients who have a “gummy” smile, our skilled and experienced dentists here at Garrison Family Dentistry of Smithville, MO can perform a crown lengthening.

A crown lengthening is the process of removing gum tissue to expose more of the crown of a tooth. This is needed in cases where there is decay under the gum line, or when a tooth needs a replacement crown, but there is not enough tooth above the gums to work with. This is also used for cosmetic reasons. Sometimes when a person has excess gum tissue, it can cause their teeth to look short, when in fact the teeth are just being covered up. This is commonly referred to as the “gummy” smile.

To start the procedure, incisions are made to the gums to allow them to be pulled back. In some cases, when the tooth needs to be worked on below the jaw bone, that will be cut away to gain access to the tooth. The gums are then cleaned and stitched into place. Even if only one tooth needs to be worked on, several teeth in the area have the gums pulled back so they can heal in a natural line.

If you need work done below the gum line, or want to improve the look of your “gummy” smile, the dentists here at Garrison Family Dentistry are experienced in performing crown lengthening. To schedule a consultation, call (816) 532-8778 or visit our website, www.garrisondentistry.com.