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Crown Lengthening What comes to mind when you think about the perfect smile? Most people tend to immediately think about the condition of their teeth. While the teeth play an integral role in the quality of your smile, they are only one factor. Your teeth may be perfectly straight, white, and free of blemishes, but your smile may still be lacking. This is because your gums also play a significant role is your smile. Excess gum tissue can detract from the beauty of your smile, causing your teeth to appear small. At West End Dental, we can help to improve the quality of your smile, and your oral health, with a procedure known as crown lengthening.What is a Crown Lengthening?Excess gum tissue leaves you with what is often referred to as a gummy smile. Your teeth appear small, almost like baby teeth. Even if your teeth are perfectly straight, white, and blemish-free, the quality of your smile just is not where you want it. Crown lengthening is a cosmetic dental procedure that is performed to eliminate excess gum tissue, providing you with a more natural looking gum line and improving the quality of your smile. During the procedure, a small amount of bone may also need to be removed to help provide you with optimal results. Your smile is instantly improved and continues to improve as you heal. What to Expect During a Crown LengtheningToday, crown lengthening is performed using a laser, which takes the place of a traditional scalpel. While the scalpel is an effective tool, it causes significant bleeding during treatment as well as tissue trauma that leaves you with pain and swelling during the recovery process. Rather than using a sharp tool, the laser uses a concentrated beam of light approximately the thickness of a human hair. The laser light provides pinpoint accuracy to target only the tissue that needs to be removed. As the laser cuts, it cauterizes the tissue, which aids in minimizing bleeding. Additionally, the accuracy of the laser minimizes tissue trauma, which reduces pain and swelling after treatment, reducing your recovery period. Crown lengthening is performed under a local anesthetic, which ensures that you do not feel any pain during your procedure. We begin by making incisions in the gums to separate the tissue from the teeth. Next, the laser is used to remove only the necessary tissue. If necessary, the wavelength of the laser light can be adjusted to remove any bone tissue. Finally, the gums are sutured back against your teeth. While results are immediately noticeable, your smile will continue to improve during your recovery. Once you have fully healed, you are left with a beautiful smile that you will love showing off. Functional Purposes of a Crown LengtheningWhile crown lengthening is generally performed as a cosmetic treatment, it also has a few functional purposes as well. These include:
If a gummy smile is affecting the quality of your smile, leaving you feeling self-conscious, a crown lengthening can help. For more information on crown lengthening, and to find out if the procedure is right for you, call West End Dental today at (503) 446-2957. |
WE TREAT OUR PATIENTS WITH RESPECT We believe in educating patients about their treatment options and listening to their questions and concerns.WE BELIEVE IN HEALTHY TEETH FIRST We focus on prevention so that you keep your smile healthy. We provide excellent comfortable care for all procedures.WE'RE HERE FOR YOU! Schedule your visit today for cleaning, treatment, or consultation. |
  
 West End Dental
833 SW 11th Ave Suite 300 Portland, OR 97205   |
