Crown lengthening is a procedure in which the excess gum tissue is removed to make a tooth look longer. This procedure is commonly practised to reshape the tooth surface for further restorations to be attached firmly or to improve the aesthetics of the tooth contours.
Crown lengthening is done for several reasons- a tooth may have been broken due to impact, leading it to break beneath the gum line. A patient with short teeth may have also suffered tooth decay, causing the teeth to go beneath the gum line as well. It is also done to increase the amount of visible tooth area and develop a more balanced and aesthetic smile.
The crown lengthening procedure takes about 3 months to recover from. At this time, it is recommended to perform usual activities, but you are advised to avoid sticky food for the first 24 hours and abstain from any difficult tasks for the first 48-72 hours after the procedure is done.
