A Gummy Smile Corrected with Esthetic Crown Lengthening
A smile that showed a band of gum above short-looking front teeth. The teeth were a normal length; the gum covered part of them. Esthetic crown lengthening reshaped the gumline in a single visit.
What the Patient Noticed
A gummy smile: the upper front teeth looked short and square, and a band of gum showed whenever the patient smiled fully. On examination the teeth were a normal length. The gum simply covered too much of them.
What Was Done
Esthetic crown lengthening across the upper front teeth in one visit. The gumline was reshaped to the proportions of a natural tooth and, where needed, the bone edge beneath it was adjusted, which is the step intended to keep the new gumline from creeping back down over the teeth. The planned gumline is shown to the patient before anything is done. Crown lengthening explains both the esthetic and the functional versions of the procedure.
The Result
A higher, even gumline and full-length teeth, with the papillae between the teeth preserved. Soreness is usually mild and lasts a few days. In this case the tissue looked settled within about two weeks and kept maturing over the following months; how quickly that happens differs from patient to patient.