It’s a no-brainer that most of us want to have prettier smiles. Some people opt to get a professional’s help to achieve this.
According to the Oral Health Foundation, a smile is greatly important in building one’s personality, relationships with other people, self-confidence, and success. However, being able to show your smile with confidence is something not everyone can do. For those who do not have a perfect set of teeth, it can be a little challenging.
Some may have issues with the alignment of their teeth. Then, there are those who don’t feel contented with the size of their exposed teeth. Some people also have too much gum tissue around their upper teeth, giving what most dentists call a “gummy smile”. The procedure for correcting the latter problem is called crown lengthening.
Crown Lengthening: What It Is
Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure that will expose a greater amount of the person’s tooth. It requires a surgeon to remove a little of the gum tissues, the bone, or, at times, both. It is generally done to correct tooth issues when there is not much tooth above the gum that could support a filling or a crown. In other words, it is done for aesthetic purposes. However, it is also an essential procedure when a tooth breaks off near the gum line.
Do You Need to Undergo Procedure?
The first thing to do before deciding to go through crown lengthening is to visit a periodontist. A periodontist can be a Washington DC dental implants specialist. He will review your X-rays and medical history, and he will set a date for your oral surgery. Before the appointment, you can also get a professional tooth cleaning. The dentist will decide whether you will need a temporary crown to protect the tooth months before the actual procedure or not.
How the Procedure Goes
Before the procedure, your periodontist will educate you on what to expect during and after the procedure.
The surgery itself begins by using local anesthesia. The amount of anesthesia will depend on the number of teeth that the periodontist will be working on. If he will remove both soft tissues and bone, then the procedure will take more time. Once enough tooth is already showing, the periodontist will stitch the gums together. He may also remove any temporary crowns before the procedure begins and will put them back after.
After the whole procedure, you will receive prescriptions and diet plans. You will also receive directions on how to take care of your teeth and gums while you are still healing. There is the risk of bleeding for some time after going through the procedure. Infections may also occur after the surgery. Your teeth and gums’ sensitivity to hot and cold may also increase. These are all normal effects, but they should eventually disappear.
Final Thoughts
A crown lengthening procedure may cost a bit. However, if you have a gummy smile and are aiming to achieve a prettier smile, then the best option to choose is to undergo this. When you’ve finally decided to do so, you can always choose among the best clinics and periodontists around the US.