How Much Does Crown Lengthening Cost?
Washington dc Crown lengthening is a dental procedure where extra gum tissue is removed to expose more of the natural teeth beneath the tissue. For adults who feel they have a “gummy smile”, the procedure is the best solution to improving the appearance of the smile. A “gummy smile” is when the gums appear oversized, making the teeth look too small in proportion. This condition is often the result of genetics or of prescription medication. Often the teeth are actually an appropriate length, but they are covered with too much gum tissue. If your dentist has suggested the crown lengthening procedure may be the solution you are looking for, you may be curious about the estimated costs of the treatment. Here is more information about crown lengthening and a guide to estimating the costs.
When is Crown Lengthening Needed?
There are two common reasons why an individual may need a crown lengthening procedure:
- To improve the appearance of the smile. In the majority of cases, the goal of crown lengthening is to improve the appearance of the teeth and gums, making them proportional. For this treatment, the procedure involves trimming the gum tissue covering several teeth to change the look of the gumline.
- To restore a tooth. There are cases when crown lengthening is needed to restore or repair a tooth. A tooth that is decayed or broken below the gumline may be impossible to repair. Crown lengthening makes restoration possible by exposing more of the natural tooth so it can be restored and ensuring there is enough tooth available to attach a new crown to.
Post Procedure
Immediately after the crown lengthening procedure some pain and swelling should be expected. To help with the initial pain and swelling, your dentist will recommend ice and over the counter pain medication. One week to 10 days after the procedure the dentist will remove the stitches from the healing tissue. After the stitches are removed it will take approximately 3 more months for the gums to heal completely.
Estimated Costs of Crown Lengthening
The estimated costs of the crown lengthening procedure depend on several factors. A good place to start with estimating the cost of treatment is to consider the number of teeth that will be involved. The more teeth involved in the lengthening work, the more expensive the procedure will be. In general, the procedure will cost between $300-$500 to remove excess gum around one tooth. If the procedure involves removing tissue from a number of teeth, it will cost approximately $1,900. Commonly, if one tooth needs tissue removed, the teeth on each side may also require a little gum removal to make the gumline look even.
Dental insurance will often cover a portion or all of the costs of the crown lengthening procedure. One factor that influences whether insurance will cover the costs is the purpose of the surgery. A cosmetic procedure is less likely to be covered by dental insurance than a procedure to repair a damaged tooth.