Read on to learn the crown lengthening benefits for your teeth and oral health

Crown lengthening is a dental procedure that offers diverse benefits to patients. Patients who have decay below the gum line are suitable candidates for crown lengthening. In addition, crown lengthening is also done for aesthetic purposes. This article is a comprehensive guide to crown lengthening and its benefits.

What Is Crown Lengthening?

• Crown lengthening is the process in which dental surgeons adjust the bone and gum level. Tooth-shaped caps are fit over a natural tooth for structural or aesthetic reasons. These caps are known as crowns.

The crown lengthening is performed when a tooth is broken or cracked. In addition, a crown can also be used for completing dental procedures such as dental implants, bridges, or root canals.

Crown Lengthening Procedure

• The procedure often takes less than an hour to complete. The patient can go home after the treatment. Dental surgeons administer local anesthesia or sedatives before beginning the procedure. Gums are then cut and pulled away from the teeth to expose the roots and bone. The affected tissues are removed.

The surgical area is washed with salt water before suturing. After suturing the gums back together, a bandage is placed over the area for additional protection. When the local anesthesia wears off, the patient might feel some pain. The dental surgeon prescribes mild pain relievers and mouth rinse to help the gums heal.

Benefits Of Crown Lengthening

Let’s take a look at some of the significant benefits of crown lengthening.

Requires One Session

• Dental procedures that require several sessions to complete become a financial strain for many patients. Having to return for the same reason several times can additionally become inconvenient. Crown lengthening takes only one treatment. Once it’s done you will not have to return for the same treatment again.

Does Not Require Touch Ups

• Some dental procedures require you to go back and get the required touch-ups from time to time. Sometimes, the dentist asks you to do the touch-ups by yourself at home. However, crown lengthening is different because it does not require any touch-ups.

Enhance The Aesthetics

• Crown lengthening is commonly performed for cosmetic reasons. People who have short teeth voluntarily opt for crown lengthening to enhance the aesthetic appearance of their teeth. Crown lengthening offers promising results in making your smile more symmetrical.

Improve Oral Health

• If you are having the crown lengthening procedure done for health reasons, rest assured it will improve your oral health. Your oral health will greatly improve when the poor gums are treated.

Recovery

• Your dentist will likely recommend ibuprofen or Tylenol to reduce the pain after the treatment. Sometimes antibiotics and painkillers such as acetaminophen-hydrocodone are also recommended. Three months is the approximate recovery time. But patients can resume normal functions once the gums heal.

However, patients need to avoid strenuous activities for the first two days after the treatment. Heavy lifting, exertions, and physically demanding work can interfere with the healing process and may cause the gums to bleed.

Guidelines

Follow the guidelines mentioned below for a quick recovery.

• Use an ice pack on your face following a 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off rule. This will help reduce the swelling.
• It is advised to avoid hot foods for the first 24 hours.
• Carefully brush the surface where the dressing has been applied. Brush and floss other areas normally.
• Do not chew on the side of the dressing.
• Refrain from drinking and smoking the first week after the treatment.
• Do not eat foods that are hard, acidic, spicy, or sticky.

Our experienced dentists at Icon Dental Center offer the best crown lengthening services. Don’t hesitate to book your appointments. Call us at 206-225-2882 for Seattle and 425-337-2400 for Everett appointment.