Esthetic Crown Lengthening - Gingivectomy

Crown or tooth lengthening is completed to improve the esthetic appearance of the teeth or to expose more of the tooth for the placement of restorations.

Esthetic Tooth Lengthening exposes more of the tooth in a visible area of the mouth so that the tooth appears longer and has a nice cosmetic appearance. It may involve removal only of excess gum tissue using a gingivectomy procedure, or might require recontouring of the bone as in a conventional crown lengthening procedure.

This procedure is simply the removal of excess gum tissue to expose the entire crown of the tooth improving esthetics and creating optimal tooth proportions. It is also used to remove excessive gum tissue after orthodontic treatment, or to recontour gums in the front of the mouth to improve the esthetic appearance of the teeth often in conjunction with the placement of esthetic veneers or crowns.

Patient A

                                       Before Gingivectomy                                                                                         After Gingivectomy

This patient underwent orthodontic tooth straightening to improve the appearance of her teeth. When the appliances were removed, the front teeth appeared short and wide. A gingivectomy procedure was used to remove some of the gum tissue from the gum line making the teeth look longer and improving the cosmetic appearance of the teeth.