Crown Lengthening

Life Dental Specialties provides crown lengthening services in Springfield, MA. Call 413-739-5685 to learn more and schedule your appointment. 

There are two reasons why we might perform dental crown lengthening. Crown lengthening can be used cosmetically to minimize the amount of gum tissue that shows when you smile and create a more even gumline. In other cases, crown lengthening is needed to expose more of a tooth's surface, allowing a crown or bridge to be placed and ensuring that it has the support it needs to be stable.

Crown lengthening is a straightforward procedure that is performed in our office under local anesthesia. Once the area where we’re working has been numbed, excess periodontal tissue and a small amount of the bone that supports your tooth is removed. Your gums are rinsed with a salt water solution and sutured to promote healing; sometimes, a bandage may be placed on the area for protection.

As the local anesthetic wears off after your crown lengthening procedure, you will begin to feel tenderness and swelling at the surgical site. To encourage healing, relieve any pain you’re experiencing, and prevent infection, use the pain relievers and mouth rinse we prescribe as directed. While your gums can take up to three months to completely heal after crown lengthening, most patients are able to return to work and their other daily activities quickly. It’s best if you can take some time to rest and recover after your procedure, and only resume heavy lifting and physically challenging activities once two or three days have passed.

Since local anesthetic is used to numb the tissue that is being reshaped, a crown lengthening procedure is painless. When the local anesthetic begins to wear off, you will be sore around the surgical site(s), but this can be managed by following our aftercare instructions.

Crown lengthening is a worthwhile investment, whether you need it in order to place a restoration or want it to correct a “gummy” smile. If you need crown lengthening for a restoration, you’ll have a more stable crown or bridge as a result. Cosmetic crown lengthening patients often feel self-conscious about their smiles for years and the procedure helps regain confidence.

Crown lengthening costs vary depending on the extent of the work needed. For example, a patient who only needs the procedure performed on a single tooth for the placement of a dental crown will pay less than someone who wants crown lengthening on all of the teeth that are visible when they smile.

This is your decision to make; there’s no medical reason why you can’t go back to work after your procedure, assuming you don’t have a job that is physically challenging, but also keep in mind that you may have some swelling and discomfort as the local anesthetic wears off. Most people opt to take the rest of the day off of work to relax at home after a crown lengthening procedure.

Before getting a permanent dental crown, it's best to wait until your gums have fully healed. This normally takes about 4-12 weeks, healing times can vary depending on location.

Call 413-739-5685 to schedule your appointment.