When you look in the mirror, are you unhappy with your smile? Does your smile have excess gum tissue that covers your natural smile, making your teeth look more childish than they should? Or maybe your dentist just informed you that you need to address a cavity that’s been hiding below your gum line.
The good news is that your cosmetic dentist in Brandon knows that you have a full, healthy smile beneath your gums that just needs to be revealed. Crown lengthening is a great procedure to help you achieve your smile goals.
You Can Benefit from Crown Lengthening
For those seeking dental treatments that can improve a gummy smile, you can be confident in your dental practice to fix it. We believe every smile is developed to fit each patient, but there are small improvements we can make to get you the smile of your dreams and excellent oral health.
As a corrective measure, your dentist can perform a cosmetic procedure to lift the gums with an innovative soft tissue laser to expose more of your natural teeth. Aside from increasing your self-confidence, the advantages of crown lengthening include:
- Quick, effective procedure with one appointment in our office.
- Creates a wider, more symmetrical smile for better aesthetics.
- Can remove infected gum tissues to prevent periodontal disease.
How Crown Lengthening is Completed
Crown lengthening is a procedure, meaning your dentist will use a local anesthetic to numb the affected area. The length of your procedure depends on the number of teeth that will be needing the treatment. Even if a single tooth is involved, the crown lengthening procedure typically will include neighboring teeth, too. This is only so that your soft tissues can reshape gradually and naturally.
Your dentist will make small incisions that will pull the gums away from your teeth. This exposes the roots of your teeth and its surrounding bone. In most cases, removing a small amount of gum tissue exposes just enough of your teeth for your dentist to place a crown or filling. Sometimes though, your dentist may need to remove additional bone from around the roots of the affected teeth.
Once that portion of the procedure is completed, your dentist will simply wash the area with sterile salt water and the gums will be stitched together. At this time, your dentist will provide prescriptions for pain medications to help you cope with your healing period. They will also instruct you on the best way to keep the area clean.
Your Dentist is Here for You Every Step of the Way
There is a healing period that can last up to three months. During that time, you can feel free to call your dentist for any questions you may or advice. It’s also important to call your dentist if you notice any of these issues:
- Bleeding that won’t stop.
- Your pain reliever isn’t effective.
- The area is showing signs of infection.
- You notice discharge or swelling.
- The bandage becomes loose or falls off.
- You notice swollen lymph nodes underneath the jaw or in your neck.
Besides these concerns, if you follow your dentist’s directions your procedure should run smoothly. You’ll have a healthy smile you can’t stop showing off in no time!
About Our Office
Here at Wehrkamp Dental, we’re here to help you reach your smile goals no matter what. Whether you need a simple professional cleaning or a more complex dental treatment like crown lengthening, you can depend on our Brandon dental team. Contact us today to schedule your next consultation.