Dental Crown Lengthening Steps and Post Operative Instructions

By | March 8, 2014

Are you worried about your gummy smile? Is most of your teeth covered by gum tissue? Then dental crown lengthening is the answer to expose most of your teeth portion and improve your smile. Dental crowning is a oral surgery that should be performed by the dentist.

Dental crowning is done to candidates who have excessive gum tissue on upper lip or with broken teeth at gum line or with decayed tooth treatment where sufficient tooth is not present above the gum line.

Steps involved in lengthening of crown:
If a candidate wants to improve smile or to expose the teeth covered by the gum tissue by dental crown lengthening, candidate should consult the dentist. Dentist examines and decides whether the candidate is suitable for dental crown lengthening surgery.

The steps involved in dental crown lengthening are:

  • Preparation of teeth is necessary before surgery.
  • Dental crowns are removed and replaced after surgery.
  • Initially anesthesia is given to anesthetize the area where surgery is done.
  • Gum tissue is cut and removed to expose the teeth. In some cases, some bone surrounding the root and teeth are also removed to expose the teeth.
  • After removal of gum tissue, the teeth is washed with saline water and stitches are made to seal the gums.
  • After some days dentist removes the stitches.
  • The duration of surgery depends on the removal of gum on one or more teeth and amount of gum to be removed.

Instructions to be followed after surgery:

  • After surgery bleeding for few hours takes place that can be controlled by placing an ice bag over the face i.e, outside the surgery place
  • Taking antibiotics
  • Taking fluids and soft foods
  • Do not take alcohol or beverages
  • Do not smoke as it may reduce the healing process
  • Rinsing mouth with mouthwashes

Benefits of dental crown lengthening surgery:

  • Improves smile as it exposes the teeth from gums
  • Reduces tooth decays
  • Recovery period is less

Problems faced after surgery:

  • Bleeding from the gum
  • Sensitivity to cold and hot
  • Swelling of gums takes place
  • Infection at the site of surgery
  • Teeth may appear longer than the remaining teeth.