Your dentist may recommend a crown lengtheing due to decay or a crack in your tooth. A crown lengthening is necessary to create more tooth structure above the gums to allow for a stable restoration to be placed on the tooth. A crown lengthening is a surgical procedure that reshapes the bone and gum tissue around a tooth or teeth to allow your general dentist to restore the tooth with a crown. 

Crown lengthening can also be performed to eliminate a "gummy" smile. When teeth appear short and the gum tissue is bulky and covers too much of the tooth surface, recontouring the bone and gum tissue around the tooth or teeth can help correct this condition.

In working together with your general dentist, Dr. Brian Karshen can help restore your smile.

Fortunately, modern anesthetics can make the procedure pain free in most cases. For the first few days after treatment, you can expect some tenderness and achiness in the area. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or pain relievers like acetaminophen are recommended to ease discomfort. Dr. Karshen may prescribe other pain relieving medications, but they are rarely required.