Crowns are the caps that fit a natural tooth to aesthetic reasons. A crown is used on cracked, misshapen, and broken teeth. Crowns are also used in root canals, dental implants, and bridges to complete these treatment procedures. Crowns are customized to fit the existing tooth.
Crown lengthening is a common procedure done to expose more tooth for the crown to fit in. the procedure takes less than an hour to complete. Crown lengthening is done to create more space for the tooth to hold the crown. The process involves reducing the gum tissues to expose more teeth. A crown that has fitted well is comfortable and supports oral hygiene.
The Preparation for a Crown Lengthening
A dentist may give you a temporary crown to protect the tooth as the actual crown is being prepared. Before you are given the new crown, the dentist will take your medical history and view X-rays. This information is reviewed to know if the procedure is fit for you or not.
Crown lengthening is an outpatient and non-surgical procedure. Outpatient means you are not admitted to the hospital. You may receive a sedative and anesthesia because the lengthening will involve pulling away gum from the teeth. It aims at creating more tooth space to fit in the crown well. You may experience slight pain after the local anesthesia clears from your system. The dentist will prescribe painkillers and mouth rinsing liquid that will manage the pain and keep off bacterial infection.
Risks of Crown Lengthening
The risk of infection in crown lengthening is lower than surgical procedures. You should follow the prescription of the dentist after the procedure to minimize infections.
Bleeding may happen after the procedure and increased tooth sensitivity. The tooth sensitivity will reduce with time and you will be able to eat and drink hot and cold substances comfortably.
If you experience loose teeth after the procedure, you need to contact the dentist for further treatment. This is a rare situation. However, if it occurs, the situation can be medically reversed.
Recovery Time
The recovery period is roughly three months. After this, you will be able to resume to the normal functioning of the gums. After the lengthening of the crown, your diet will be limited to give time for the gum to be healed. Eating rough foods may cause bleeding and slower the healing process.
You will be taking painkillers to manage pain and antibiotics to prevent infections. An antibacterial mouthwash will be recommended because a toothbrush is rough during the first few days after the procedure.
You can be advised to use an ice pack to control swelling. And during the first day after the procedure, you are advised not to eat hot foods. If bleeding continues, contact the dentist for a checkup. The bleeding should be slight and controllable. Rinse your mouth with lukewarm salty water.
Smoking and taking alcohol is not allowed after the crown lengthening procedure. Avoid touching the gums with your hands because it can lead to bacterial infections. In addition, the pressure from the fingers slows down the healing process. All these precautions are important to make sure that healing takes place completely without attracting infections.
Always go for the dentists that have undergone training and are licensed. This will help you have a successful crown lengthening. At Dental Singapore, we have specialized dentists who have been trained and licensed to perform dental treatment services such as crown lengthening. Find out more about a dental clinic and the dentist before deciding on which dentist to work with. Precaution is better than to undergo poor dental treatment services that can bring oral health complications.
It is highly beneficial for you to undergo the crown lengthening procedure to fit in a crown. You may experience short-term or long-term complications depending on the success of the procedure. There are more successful crown lengthening cases than failed ones. You do not have to worry about the success of crown lengthening because we have trained and experienced dentists.
Contact us today and book an appointment with our dentists and find out more about the crown lengthening procedure. It is important to meet a professional before deciding on when to take the procedure. Ask questions about the process and recovery process.