Crown lengthening is a specific type of dental surgery where the gums are cut and pulled back away from the tooth. A dentist might need to expose a tooth in this way for many reasons. According to a well known Leeds dentist, this surgery is unavoidable in certain cases. This can be a lengthy process, and it is done after administering local anaesthesia to the patient. If you require this treatment, it is absolutely essential that you go to a clinic that is well known for this and which has a periodontist, or a gum doctor, on its staff.
There are many instances where the tooth has broken or has such a large cavity that there is nothing for the dentist to work with. In such cases the dentist will surgically cut the gums away from the teeth up till the required length. This will give the dentist enough tooth on which a crown or bridge can be fixed. People who suffer from what is known as a gummy smile will also benefit from this surgery. Dentists can cut away the gums to reveal more of the patient’s teeth, thereby improving the smile.
This treatment does cost a bit of money, but it is unavoidable in a lot of cases. In any case, the end result will be really gratifying to the patient. Since it is a slightly complex procedure, it is imperative that you trust your doctor and that the two of you discuss everything about the procedure in detail.
Posts Tagged ‘gummy smile’
Leeds Dentist Says Crown Lengthening Surgery Is Unavoidable In Some Cases
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010Gum contouring from Central Leeds dentist creates perfect smile
Saturday, October 10th, 2009
Having a perfect smile and healthy looking teeth, like so many things in life, is all about balance. The balance between the size of the teeth in relation to the others, the balance of the distance between the teeth, the balance of the colour of the teeth. This balance can be effected by having gums that are too visible. Just as a beautiful painting can be ruined by an ugly frame, healthy looking, well-proportioned teeth can be spoiled by an excess of gum tissue. This excess gingival display is also known as a gummy smile and is though to affect about 14 per cent of women and 7 per cent of men in the UK.
A gummy smile is usually caused by little more than genetic predisposition, but it can be affected by some fairly common blood pressure medication. In other patients, the appearance of excess gum tissue can be caused by a high upper lip or even short teeth, which make the gums appear larger by comparison.
Gummy smiles can be easily treated by a modern procedure, utilizing a laser, called gum contouring. Also known as lifting, gum contouring involves using the laser to burn off excess gum tissue on the gum line, and shape it to create the desired effect. Although the prospect of having tissue burned off sounds rather unpleasant, it is in fact a completely painless procedure and because of the advances in dental laser technology, an incredibly accurate one. Lasers can be accurate to within the most minute of degrees and also have the added bonus of possessing sterilising qualities because of the intensity of the heat used. On some occasions, a laser on its own may not be enough to remove all the excess tissue and the bone at the root of the tooth may need to be reduced to prevent the gum tissue growing back, although this is relatively rare.
Gum touring is a relatively easy way of achieving your desired smile. If you suffer from excess gum tissue, it may be a simple matter of removing it. A Central Leeds dentist will be able to perform the gum contouring procedure in one visit to give you the gum-free smile you always wanted.