Crown Lengthening for a Better Smile

If you’re bothered by a “gummy” smile or teeth that you feel are too small, you may want to consider crown lengthening. Also known as a gum lift, this cosmetic dentistry procedure can beautify your smile by exposing more of your teeth.

“Crown lengthening has been used by dentists for years to improve dental health, but it’s recently been gaining popularity as a cosmetic dentistry technique,” says Kimberly Harms, DDS, a dentist in Farmington, Minn., and consumer advisor for the American Dental Association.

 What Is Crown Lengthening? 
 
Crown lengthening is an oral surgery treatment that involves removing excess gum tissue, and possibly some bone, around the upper teeth to make them look longer. It’s a common procedure performed by dentists and periodontists, or gum specialists.

“If the gum line is uneven, crown lengthening can also sculpt the gum line to produce a more symmetrical smile,” says Dr. Harms. Crown lengthening may be done for dental care and medical reasons as well as for the cosmetic effect. If there’s decay or fracture under the gum line, for example, crown lengthening can help expose more of the tooth’s crown in order to support a filling or porcelain crown.

                                                     *scottmhealeydentistry.com

What Does Crown Lengthening Involve? 
 
Crown lengthening involves oral surgery performed under local anesthesia. After the area is numbed, the dentist or periodontist makes small cuts to pull the gums away from the teeth and remove excess gum. In some cases, removing gum tissue is all that is needed to expose more of the crown. But if there is too much soft tissue and bone covering the crown, a tiny bit of bone may need to be taken out, too. After the surgery is completed, the gums are washed with sterile salt water and stitched up.

Pros and Cons of Crown Lengthening
 
Although crown lengthening is a common and safe procedure, it does involve surgery, which always has risks. So it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before going under the knife.

Advantages of crown lengthening: Unlike many cosmetic dentistry treatments, crown lengthening only needs to be done once, with no requirement for touch-ups down the road. In addition to creating a wider, more symmetrical smile, crown lengthening can provide some dental care benefits as well. “It can reduce the risk of tooth decay because more of the tooth is exposed for brushing and flossing,” says Harms. The surgery can usually be completed in 30 minutes to an hour.

Disadvantages of crown lengthening: This cosmetic dentistry treatment can be pricey. Expect to pay $1,000 to $4,000 for crown lengthening. If the procedure is medically warranted, insurance should pick up some of cost, says Harms. As with other types of cosmetic surgery, you may experience swelling and pain afterwards. Recovery can take a few days to a few weeks, depending on how extensive the surgery is. Possible complications include excessive bleeding and infection, but these are rare.

Recovery From a Crown Lengthening Procedure
 
Following surgery, you’ll be given a prescription for a pain reliever and instructed to use ice to reduce any swelling. You’ll want to eat a diet of fairly soft foods and brush your teeth carefully in the area near the stitches, which will come out in 7 to 10 days.
Complete healing of the gums can take up to three months, however. At that point, you may opt to have veneers or another cosmetic dentistry procedure done, such as bonding or tooth whitening.

Is Crown Lengthening Right For You? 
 
If you’ve always been bothered by a smile that shows too much gum, crown lengthening may be worth the cost and the short-term discomfort. But, for people who have wide teeth, crown lengthening could backfire. “You could end up with teeth that look too big,” says Harms. (Some dental practices offer computer imaging, which will show you what the final result will look like.) On the other hand, if you are especially susceptible to tooth decay, crown lengthening can make it easier for you to take proper care of your teeth and perhaps decrease your risk of decay.

If you have excessive or uneven gums, crown lengthening can transform your smile and give you just the right look — and as an added bonus, it may just improve your overall dental health as well.

Article from: everydayhealth.com

Call Omni Dental at (512) 250-5012 to speak with one of our specialists about the latest ways of enhancing your smile and dental health. You can also go to our website: omnidentalgroup.com for more information.

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Finding the Right Dentist

                                                                                       *oralb.com

Finding the right dentist for you and your family involves a combination of factors. But it all comes down to the four C’s: Competence, convenience, compatibility and cost.

First and foremost, you need your dentist to be competent, which means that he or she maintains a high level of professionalism and knows the latest treatments and developments in the dental field. To ensure competent dental care, look for a dentist who is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry. Dentists who are members of the AGD must meet requirements for continuing education and are pledged to uphold the highest standards of ethics and patient care.

A dentist may have a degree that says DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) or DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery). These degrees apply to general dentists and represent the same training programs, but different dental schools use different terms.

Convenience is another important factor in finding a dentist. You’ll be much more likely to keep appointments if you choose a dentist whose office is convenient to your home or workplace. Also, look for a dentist whose office hours fit with your schedule. Do you need evening or weekend appointments? Do you have children who could see a dentist after school? These are the type of questions to consider.

Also, a convenient dentist is one who participates with your dental insurance plan. Most dentists in the United States participate with the large dental plans offered by most employers, but you won’t know until you ask. If you have insurance, your insurance company can provide a list of dentists who participate with your plan.  Take that list and ask your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers for recommendations. 

Next, consider compatibility. For example, some dentists are specialists in treating patients who are fearful of dental procedures, whether it’s filling a cavity or performing a root canal. So if you tend to be a nervous dental patient, ask your friends and colleagues to recommend a dentist that they like because he or she puts patients at ease. And ask a potential dentist whether he or she offers sedation dentistry, which involves treating you with a sedative via a pill, inhaled gas, or intravenous drug therapy prior to a dental procedure to help you relax.

If you have children, you may want to look for a dentist who has extra training in pediatric dentistry, although most general dentists manage a family practice and are expert at treat patients of all ages. Of course, some dentists are more comfortable and better at working with children than others. It may be worth asking other parents to help you find a child-friendly dentist, because positive experiences with dental care in early childhood can help encourage children to develop and follow consistent oral health care routines as they grow up.

Trust your instincts: Is the office clean and neat? Are your records in order when you arrive? Is there a plan in place for after-hours dental emergencies? Find a dentist who makes you feel comfortable about asking questions, and who explains treatments and procedures so you can understand them.
Finally, consider cost. Some people are very loyal to a dentist they like and will stick with him or her regardless of what their insurance does or doesn’t cover. Others give more weight to cost.

Many insurance plans cover 100 percent of the cost of at least one basic dental checkup and professional cleaning per year, and many plans cover two checkups per year. So it’s always worth the effort to find a quality dentist who participates in your insurance plan. If you need a dental procedure that your insurance plan doesn’t cover, contact the American Dental Association to find out about dental clinics operated by dental schools in your area. These school-based clinics are operated by the schools and supervised by licensed dentists. They often offer advanced procedures as well as basic dental care, often at a reduced cost.

If you have no dental insurance, you may be able to set aside money in a Flexible Spending Account through your employer to help cover a dental procedure, such as orthodontia, that you’re planning in advance.

Another option to consider is the Bureau of Primary Health Care, which is part of the Health Resources and Services Administration, funds community health centers that often provide dental care (as well as medical care) at reduced cost. For more details about finding a dentist through this program, contact HRSA by calling  1-888-ASK-HRSA or by visiting ask.hrsa.gov/pc.

Article from: Oral B

Call Omni Dental today at (512) 250-5012 to speak with one of our specialists about the latest ways of enhancing your smile and dental health. You can also go to our website: omnidentalgroup.com for more information.

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