Crown Lengthening in Humble, TX

Making your smile beautiful isn't always as simple as a whitening treatment or teeth straightening. Excess gum tissue can hide your sexy teeth. The board-certified dental professionals at MINT dentistry are experienced in crown lengthening to boost your smile and oral health. Despite its name, crown lengthening does not actually involve making your teeth longer. A clearer name would be "tooth exposure” because soft tissue is removed to reveal more of the tooth, making it look longer. Your dentist may recommend crown lengthening for cosmetic reasons or if not enough of your tooth is visible to support a tooth-colored filling or restoration (like a crown). To find out if crown lengthening could help improve your smile or oral health, contact us to schedule a consultation with a board-certified MINT dentistry professional in Humble, TX.

To be a candidate for crown lengthening, you should have good oral health, especially the gums. Periodontal disease and other conditions that affect the gum tissue will be treated first and then crown lengthening can be scheduled. Typically, crown lengthening is a cosmetic treatment to address a "gummy" smile. Excess gum tissue can be excised to improve the ratio of enamel to gums for a higher gumline. However, crown lengthening may also be needed to complete a restoration. Your dentist may need to expose more enamel to have enough room for a filling, bridge, or crown. During a consultation at our modern practice, your dental team will evaluate your condition to determine if crown lengthening fits your needs and goals.

Your crown lengthening treatment will begin with our compassionate dental professionals ensuring you're entirely at ease. Our well-appointed treatment rooms feature flat-screen televisions, Beats headphones, and MINT sunglasses to help you stay relaxed during your procedure. Before the process starts, we will numb your gum tissue with a local anesthesia to minimize discomfort. MINT dentistry is also equipped with several sedation dentistry choices. These options will be reviewed at your initial consultation. After your mouth is prepared, our team will carefully remove small amounts of soft tissue at a time to gradually reveal more enamel and an even gumline. Once we have completed the crown lengthening procedure, we will stop the bleeding by sealing the gum tissue and then rinsing your mouth.

If sedation was used during your procedure, you will need to have a responsible friend or family member pick you up. Your mouth may be sore and swollen following crown lengthening. Cold compresses and over-the-counter pain relievers should help to minimize your discomfort. In some cases, we may prescribe antibiotics and/or pain medication. You should eat a soft food diet and drink lots of water for the first several days after the procedure. You should clean your teeth with mouthwash and gentle brushing. Avoid flossing your teeth until your dentist has determined your gums have healed. A second appointment at our office will be scheduled so we can check your recovery.

Your cost for crown lengthening will depend on many factors, like the reason it is being performed. Dental insurance providers may cover a portion of the cost of the procedure. Our team will contact your insurance company to verify your policy benefits before we estimate your remaining bill. For patients who don't have dental insurance, we will help estimate your costs in your initial consultation. We can also give you information on low-interest financing that can help make your dental treatments more affordable. If you do not have dental insurance, ask us for more information on the MINT Discount Plan. MINT dentistry is happy to help find ways for our valued patients to get their best smile.

Remove excess gum tissue and reveal your best smile with a crown lengthening treatment at MINT dentistry in Humble, TX. When you remove overgrown gum tissue, you can improve a "gummy" smile or make sure you have enough visible enamel for a filling or crown. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation with a board-certified MINT dentistry doctor to determine if your smile could be improved with a cosmetic or restorative crown lengthening treatment.