Question from Our Member - What is Crown Lengthening And Why Do I Need It?

Questions From Our Members

T. Drakeman of San Diego, California asks: 

“My dentist informed me that I needed a crown lengthening.  What is it and why do it need it?  Why don't they just make the crown longer to start with?”

Savon’s Answer

The dental terminology for the procedure is “Clinical Crown Lengthening”.  This is a common surgical procedure and is usually performed by a periodontal surgeon who removes gum tissue, bone or both to expose more of a tooth.

Clinical Crown lengthening is done when a tooth needs to be repaired with either a filling or a crown and not enough of the tooth sticks out above the gum to support either. This can happen if a tooth breaks off at the gum line or when a crown or filling falls out of a tooth and there is decay underneath.  To place a filling or crown they need to expose more of the tooth.  This is done by removing some gum tissue or bone.

If the tooth needs a crown, the dentist may put on a temporary crown, (this is where the patient may think that the crown was made too short). The temporary crown protects the tooth and makes surgery easier because the periodontist will be able to see how much soft tissue or bone to remove.

The area should heal in about three months. After it is healed, your dentist will prepare the tooth again and make the final crown.

Originally Posted on our July 2017 Newsletter!