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Do You Have a Gummy Smile? Crown Lengthening Might Be Your Answer

Do You Have a Gummy Smile? Crown Lengthening Might Be Your Answer

It’s hard to resist a beautiful smile. In fact, people often say that a smile is infectious. But what if yours is less than perfect? We’ve got good news for you.

At Gulf Coast Periodontics & Implants in Gulfport, Mississippi, Caesar Sweidan, DDS, and our team completely transform smiles. We offer numerous dental solutions to help you get the smile of your dreams, whether you have damaged or missing teethperiodontal disease, or even excess gum tissue, also called a “gummy” smile. And we use state-of-the-art treatments to do it. 

If you feel like you’re all gums when you smile, crown lengthening could be the answer you’re searching for.

Crown lengthening basics

People with a gummy smile often assume their teeth are smaller than normal. But, most of the time, they have more than 3 millimeters of exposed gum, which leaves less tooth surface visible. 

Crown lengthening corrects this cosmetic issue by removing excess gum tissue to expose more of your teeth. We can do this procedure on one tooth, several, or your entire gum line. And thanks to advanced methods using laser technology, our team can perform the whole treatment without a scalpel or incisions.

Before recommending crown lengthening, we perform a comprehensive dental exam, take X-rays, and review your medical history to determine if you’re a good candidate for the procedure.

What to expect with crown lengthening

Unlike traditional crown lengthening surgery, laser technology comes with less bleeding, less pain, and less risk of infection, along with greater precision and faster recovery times.

During your treatment, we numb the site, so you don’t have any pain or discomfort. Then, we use the laser to carefully remove excess gum tissue while leaving enough behind to maintain the integrity of your oral structures. 

After completing your crown lengthening, we provide detailed instructions to follow that support your recovery process. These protocols often include:

It’s also common to have some discomfort as the numbing agent wears off, as well as some minor swelling for a few days. However, you can ease the symptoms by using a cold compress and taking anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving medications.

In most cases, you’ll start feeling better within a few days of crown lengthening. However, it can take anywhere from six weeks to six months to fully heal from this procedure, depending on the treatment location.

Are you ready to have a smile no one can resist? Learn more by calling 228-868-9615 today.

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