A crown restoration covers or caps a single tooth to protect it and restore it to its normal shape and size while strengthening and improving the appearance of the tooth. A bridge is used to replace one or more missing teeth. The bridge spans the gap left by the missing tooth and is usually anchored to the two existing teeth on either side of the gap. When the crown of the tooth is short, we can expose more of the tooth to provide a secure anchor for either a crown or a crown and bridge together. This is called crown lengthening, a procedure that makes crown and bridge options possible for patients who would not otherwise be "ideal candidates."
Some of us will, unfortunately, lose a tooth to injury, decay, or gum disease. When that happens, the chewing forces in your mouth can be significantly altered, causing unwanted spaces and shifting. This makes crown and bridge treatment imperative to avoid changing the structure of your smile and facial balance.
Gums can affect our appearance in other ways. Some individuals may have a perfectly healthy mouth and attractively shaped teeth, but excessive gingival (gum) tissue can distort symmetry, making teeth look smaller, shorter, or more square than they really are. Crown lengthening restores esthetic balance.
Crown lengthening can improve both appearance and function ... and reveal your best smile!
