Crown Lengthening to Expose Caries

Crown lengthening may be indicated in order to make a restorative dental procedure possible, such as a dental filling. A tooth may sometimes be decayed below the gum line. Crown lengthening may be indicated in order to adjust the gum and bone level to expose the entire extent of the decay so it can be restored (Figures 1-3). This allows the dentist to apply a well-adapted restoration, so that the tooth does not experience repeat decay in the future. This procedure also allows the patient to clean the edge of the restoration, with regular brushing and flossing, in order to help prevent repeat decay from occurring in the future.

A crown lengthening procedure takes approximately one hour. It may be done with local anaesthetic alone, or in combination with sedation (see “Sedation”). Most patients are back at work one day after having had crown lengthening. The majority of healing takes place during the first week, and patients may then resume most of their normal eating and oral hygiene practices (see “Post-Operative Instructions”). The tissue underneath continues to mature however, and full healing of the gums takes 4-6 weeks. The tooth or teeth receiving treatment will look noticeably longer afterwards (Figures 4-6). Dr. Valentin Dabuleanu will see you for a 1-week and 6-week post-operative check before your dentist places the final dental restoration.