Crown Lengthening Might be Necessary for Seniors with Tooth Decay

Crowns are tooth-shaped coverings that are cemented over natural teeth for beauty or structural reasons. When a tooth is cracked, fractured, or malformed, your dentist may prescribe a crown. A crown is frequently used to finish dental treatments like bridges, root canals, and dental implants. Crowns must be able to adhere to an existing tooth securely.

What is Crown Lengthening?

Gum tissue or bone is removed to expose more of a tooth during dental crown lengthening, which is usually done to restore it. The dentist will need to do a crown lengthening before fixing a tooth that has been cracked at the gum line due to tooth decay or an accident. It’s a common treatment that usually takes less than an hour.

The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. Before making microscopic incisions to remove the gums from the teeth and cut off the excess gum, the dentist will numb the region. Excess gum tissue can sometimes be shaved away to reveal the crown. However, if the crown is covered in excess soft tissue and bone, a tiny portion of the bone may be removed as well.

Why is crown lengthening the best treatment for senior citizens?

While tooth decay can occur at any age, the chance of developing it increases as you get older. Senior citizens are more vulnerable to tooth decay, making it more difficult to treat tooth decay among them. Cavities can form at or below the gum line, generally as a result of gum recession. Because the gum tissue is in the way, the dentist won’t be able to fill the cavity usually. Your dentist may need to perform a little surgical operation called crown lengthening to make it possible to treat.

The technique helps expose more of the crown, the visible area of the tooth, from the surrounding gum tissue. The patient will need to limit their diet to soft foods for a few days after surgery, avoid intense activity, and apply an ice pack to help minimize swelling after the day of operation. To limit the risk of infection, they will also prescribe pain medication and potentially an antibiotic. Hence for senior citizens, it is the best treatment.

Purpose of the procedure

If enough of the tooth is not left to hold the crown on its own, crown lengthening may be required. A crown may not be able to connect to a tooth if it is damaged or decayed firmly. Crown lengthening involves removing gum tissue and shaving away bone as needed to expose more of the tooth above the gum line. Better oral hygiene and comfort are both possible with a properly fitting crown. Some patients seek crown lengthening to correct a “gummy smile,” which occurs when the gums protrude above the teeth when smiling.

How recovery happens post-treatment?

This operation takes around three months to recover. However, once your gums heal, you’ll be able to resume typical activities. For the first two to three days, you should avoid intense workouts. A physically demanding profession, hard lifting, or excessive activity may stifle your healing and increase bleeding.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.