Crown Lengthening in Houston Heights

Improving your smile isn't always as easy as a few cosmetic treatments like home or laser teeth whitening. Overgrown gums can mask a great smile. The board-certified dental professionals at MINT dentistry are skilled in crown lengthening to boost your oral health and smile. Despite its name, crown lengthening doesn't actually make your teeth longer. A clearer name would be "tooth exposure” because soft tissue is eliminated to show more enamel, making your teeth seem longer. Your MINT dentistry team may suggest crown lengthening as part of a cosmetic treatment plan or to expose more enamel so your tooth can hold a restoration or filling. To get more information on how crown lengthening can improve your oral health and appearance, contact us to schedule an initial consultation with a board-certified team member at MINT dentistry in Houston, TX.

Ideal candidates for crown lengthening have a healthy mouth, especially the gums. Problems like gum (periodontal) disease should be addressed first and then crown lengthening can be scheduled. Usually, crown lengthening is a cosmetic treatment to address a "gummy" smile. Excess gum tissue will be excised to balance the amount of gums to enamel for a higher gumline. Crown lengthening might also be required to place a restoration. Your dentist might recommend crown lengthening to expose more enamel to have enough room for a tooth-colored filling, bridge, or crown. In your consultation at our state-of-the-art practice, a board-certified dentist will evaluate your oral health to decide if crown lengthening can help improve your smile.

Every appointment you have at MINT dentistry, including your crown lengthening procedure, will begin with our experienced dental professionals making sure you're comfortable. Our state-of-the-art treatment rooms all have Beats headphones, MINT sunglasses, and flat-screen televisions to help you relax. Before the process begins, local anesthesia will be applied to your gums. MINT dentistry also offers several sedation dentistry choices. Your options and recommendations for sedation will be reviewed at your initial consultation. As soon as you are ready, your doctor will carefully remove small amounts of soft tissue at a time to gradually reveal more of your teeth with a higher, even gumline. Once your crown lengthening procedure is done, your dentist will stop any bleeding by sealing your gum tissue.

After the procedure, if you received sedation, you should plan to have a friend or family member pick you up. Your mouth will probably feel slightly swollen and a little sore after crown lengthening. Over-the-counter pain medication and cold compresses should help to reduce your discomfort. Depending on the extent of the procedure, your dentist may write you a prescription for antibiotics and/or pain medication. It's best to stick to a soft food diet and stay hydrated after your treatment. At home, you should clean your teeth with gentle brushing and mouthwash. You should not floss until your dentist has determined your gums have healed. A second appointment at our office should be made so we can check to see that your gums are healing properly.

Total costs for a crown lengthening treatment will depend on many factors, like the reason it is being performed. If you have dental insurance, it may cover part of your costs. Our team will reach out to your insurance company to verify your policy benefits before we estimate your remaining bill. For patients who don't have dental insurance, we will estimate your costs in your initial consultation and give you information on financing to help make your care fit into your budget. If you don't have dental insurance and need helping affording your dental care, ask your team for more information on the MINT Discount Plan.

Remove excess gum tissue and reveal your best smile with a crown lengthening procedure at MINT dentistry in Houston, TX. When you remove overgrown soft tissue, you can fix a "gummy" smile or get your teeth ready for a restoration like a tooth-colored filling or crown. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation with our team of board-certified professionals at MINT dentistry to find out if your appearance and oral health can be improved with a restorative or cosmetic crown lengthening procedure.