After losing your primary teeth, the tooth renewal process ends. So, you have to continue living on your set of permanent teeth for life. However, like everything else, teeth eventually deteriorate because of different reasons. Insufficient oral hygiene, injuries, and oral diseases could cause deterioration.
Luckily, you can get different dental restoration services on your teeth to improve their appearance and functionality. While dental crowns have been a common restoration option for years, there are now crown extensions. Here is a guide on crown lengthening.
Defining Crown Extensions/Lengthening
It is a dental procedure that seeks to expose more teeth to make them appear longer. The procedure reshapes your gum and gives you a gummy smile.
Why You Might Need Crown Extension
Do you find long teeth attractive and desire to make yours longer? If you do, you might need a crown lengthening. The extension procedure re-contours your gum or jawbone (if necessary). Besides the aesthetic advantages, you can enjoy functional benefits from the procedure if you have short teeth. You might also need the extension if you are dealing with deep cavities that have infected the gums. When cavities are hard-to-access, crown lengthening enables the dentist to access the cavities and fill them.
Can Everyone Undergo the Procedure?
Your dental health will determine if the dental crown lengthening procedure is ideal. However, it is not recommended for candidates whose teeth have short roots. It is also not a great option if your teeth have inadequate jaw support and are mobile.
Dentists can also advise against the lengthening if you have furcation that might be exposed during the crown extension process. They can also discourage you if you have insufficient keratinized gingiva. There are three different procedures a dentist can recommend to you when seeking a crown extension. The first is electrocautery, which uses an electrode to destroy some parts of your gum.
The second is a surgical method that involves moving the position of your tooth and placing it where you want it to be. Then, the dentist or periodontist will use stitches to hold the tooth in place and keep it stable. The last option is using a laser.
Interested in Learning More?
Are you interested to find out more about the crown lengthening procedure? Whether you need it for dental health or cosmetic reasons, it is essential to understand as much as you can. For more information on dental crowns, contact a professional near you.
Our oral surgery and general dental website offers important information on how to prevent dry socket following a tooth extraction. After getting your tooth pulled, a protective blood clot develops over the extraction site. Many of our blog posts explain how this protective clot helps promote healing after an extraction.
You'll learn that if the clot is accidentally dislodged, dry socket may occur, which can raise your risk for infection and heavy bleeding. We'll provide you with important tips on how to prevent this by avoiding smoking and drinking through a straw. You'll also learn that swishing water around your mouth should be avoided for a couple of days following your extraction because doing so creates a suction that may dislodge your clot, leading to dry socket.