Crown Lengthening – Olympia, WA


Crown lengthening (or crown exposure) Functional:
 This procedure is required when your tooth needs a new crown or other restoration but the edge of that restoration is deep below the gum tissue, and sometimes bone tissue, and not accessible to your dentist. The procedure involves adjusting the level of the gum tissue and bone around the tooth to allow for your final restoration. This ensures that your future restoration will properly fit to the tooth allowing it to look better, stay healthier, and get you back to your original smile. It is important that you follow your post-op instructions and keep the area clean after the surgery, so as to ensure the area stays healthy and is ready for your dentist to take impressions for your new crown six weeks following the surgery. 

Crown lengthening (or crown exposure) Aesthetic: This is a similar procedure to the functional crown lengthening, but it is done for different reasons. If you are unhappy with your smile or feel you have a “gummy smile” or “short teeth”, in most cases your teeth can be symmetrically lengthened. During this procedure, Dr. Coppin and Dr. Lane will reshape and contour your gum and bone tissue so that more of your natural teeth are visible. This allows for a beautiful symmetrical look to your gums and teeth, and in many cases does not require any additional restorations or procedures. Patients frequently do not notice much of a change in their basic routines following surgery and procedures are minimally invasive and relatively short depending on how many teeth are involved. Check out Cosmetic Periodontal Surgery for additional information on what our aesthetic surgical procedures can do to get you closer to your smile goals.