The "crown" of a tooth is that part that is above the gums.  Sometimes more of the tooth below the gums must be exposed to fill a cavity near the gumline or place a new crown on a broken tooth.  "Crown lengthening" provides more tooth structure for this to to be done.  This helps to ensure that the general dental procedure is successful and prevents gum irritation.

Procedure: The periodontist administers a local anesthetic and gently recontours excess gum and bone tissue to expose more of your natural tooth.