Whenever you mention lengthening a crown in dentistry, it is all about increasing the size of a dental crown. However, it can be quite confusing. This is because most dentists will take the word "crown" to refer to the real tooth that is plainly visible to everyone when you smile.

The crown is the part of the tooth that sticks out from the gumline and can easily be seen.

Another understanding of crown is when it is used to mean the type of manmade replacement that dentists put on your damaged teeth.

If you are confused, relax. Don't think about it too hard.

You find quite a few folks with gummy teeth. This means your gumline may be quite high. So much so that your crown may barely show itself. Smiling makes the gums prominent, even more than your teeth.

Often dental patients in my Downtown Vancouver dental office prefer not to have a gummy smile. Maybe they might have medical reasons to seek longer crowns.

During the dental crown lengthening procedure I take off some of your gum to make the tooth appear longer. Sometimes, a porcelain crown might have to be put in. If so, we might be forced to dig a little on the bone. Mostly, we try to keep it within the gum.

If you undergo crown lengthening in our Downtown Vancouver dental office, you need to have a local anesthetic. Now it's time for some cutting. For this I can use a laser or an alternative cutter to slowly remove the slivers of gum material at the edges.

I may also do so for the adjacent teeth. By doing this, I am able to eliminate the possibility of concentrating on one particular area. It provides an even finish. This is one part that needs plenty of skill and care. I know what I'm doing because I have the experience to do the best job possible.

Maybe you want a porcelain crown as well. If so, we can't put the real thing on straight away. I must prepare your tooth first and fix a makeshift crown for you. You only have to keep this for several weeks before you need to see us again for the next stage. Then a proper crown, built by the lab to your specifications, will be installed on your tooth.

You would know best why you want to undergo crown lengthening. If the main purpose is for looks, then you're all done. But you might feel you need veneers as well. And there's also my other Downtown Vancouver cosmetic dentistry to try out.

I can't wait to see you to see what you think about our cosmetic dentistry, near you in our Downtown Vancouver clinic.