Crown Lengthening

Occasionally, a tooth may become so decayed or injured that work needs to be done on it below the gum line. Dr. Dennis Morehart, DDS here in Enid, OK performs crown lengthening on patients who need this type of dental work done.

The crown of a tooth is the part that is visible; outside of the gums. A crown lengthening procedure lengthens the crown by exposing more of it. Dr. Morehart does this by removing part of the gum tissue. First, Dr. Morehart will make incisions to pull the gum tissue away from the tooth. He will then stitch down the gum line into a new location so that more of the tooth is exposed. If a dental crown is being placed to fix a broken tooth, the gums must heal before the crown can be placed. This is because as the gums heal, they tend to shrink, so a crown placed right away may be misplaced later.

For patients who have excess gums that make their teeth appear short, Dr. Morehart can also perform crown lengthening. This condition is often referred to as “gummy smile”. Dr. Morehart will create an even gum line that exposes more of the tooth.

To learn more about crown lengthening, call our office at (580) 237-2213 or visit our website, www.eniddentalcare.com. You can also click or call to schedule an appointment with Dr. Dennis Morehart, DDS in Enid, OK.