Gum lift
Gum lift and crown lengthening in Downtown Brooklyn
A gum lift, clinically called crown lengthening, reshapes gum tissue and, where needed, the bone underneath to expose more of the natural tooth. It is used cosmetically to correct a gummy smile or an uneven gum line, and functionally to expose enough sound tooth structure for a dentist to place a crown or filling predictably. It is a single-visit procedure under local anesthesia.
The right procedure depends on why too much gum shows. If the cause is a hypermobile upper lip rather than gum position, LipStaT is the less invasive answer and no bone is touched.
What is crown lengthening?
Teeth erupt through gum tissue, and sometimes the tissue and bone sit too high on the tooth. Crown lengthening removes a measured amount of gum, and often a small amount of bone, so the visible tooth is proportioned correctly and the biological space around it is respected.
Cosmetically it evens out a gum line and reduces the amount of gum on show. Functionally it is what allows a broken or deeply decayed tooth to be crowned instead of extracted.
Who is a candidate?
A gummy smile from excess tissue
When measurements show the gum and bone sit low on the teeth, reshaping them corrects the proportion permanently.
An uneven gum line
Asymmetry between the front teeth, often noticed in photographs, corrected by contouring to a planned smile line.
Teeth that look short
Worn or partially covered teeth can look square. Exposing the correct anatomy restores proportion, often alongside veneers or crowns.
A tooth your dentist cannot crown
Fracture or decay at or below the gum line leaves nothing for a crown to grip. Crown lengthening exposes sound structure so the tooth can be saved.
Not the right procedure for you
If the cause is a short or hypermobile lip, or the jaw position itself, we say so and discuss LipStaT or an orthodontic referral instead.
How the procedure is performed here
01
Measurement and smile design
Tooth proportions, gum thickness, bone level, and lip position are measured, with photographs and a planned gum line you approve before surgery.
02
The procedure
Under local anesthesia, tissue is contoured and bone recontoured where required, done under magnification. Most cases take under an hour.
03
Early healing
Tissue looks presentable within one to two weeks. Sutures, if used, come out at about a week.
04
Restorative timing
For crowns and veneers, your dentist typically waits six to twelve weeks for the gum line to fully stabilize. We coordinate that timing with them directly.
Frenectomy
A frenum is the small band of tissue connecting the lip or tongue to the gum. When it attaches too tightly or too low it can pull the gum away from the teeth, hold a gap between the front teeth open, or restrict tongue movement and speech.
A frenectomy releases that band. It is a short, minimally invasive procedure under local anesthesia, often done alongside orthodontic treatment or a gum graft, with healing measured in days.
Recovery and what to expect
Expect mild soreness and some swelling for two to three days, usually handled with over-the-counter medication. Soft food for a few days and no brushing directly on the site until it is checked.
Cosmetic results are visible immediately and refine as tissue matures over several weeks. You leave with written instructions and both doctors' cell numbers.
Why see a periodontist for a gum lift
Gum contouring done without regard for the bone underneath tends to rebound within months. Judging how much bone must be recontoured to keep the new gum line stable is periodontal training, and both doctors are board certified in the specialty after three-year NYU residencies.
We plan with the dentist doing your veneers or crowns so the gum line matches the final restorations rather than being corrected twice.
Least invasive option first
Where the excess gum display comes from lip mobility rather than tissue position, LipStaT achieves the same visual result with no bone reshaping and a faster recovery. Where only soft tissue needs contouring, we avoid bone surgery entirely. The measurements decide, not the request.
Questions patients ask
Gum lift questions
- Is a gum lift permanent?
- Yes, when the bone is recontoured appropriately. Tissue reshaped without addressing bone level can creep back, which is the most common reason patients come to us for a redo.
- Does a gum lift hurt?
- The procedure is done under local anesthesia and is not painful. Afterwards most patients report mild soreness for a couple of days.
- How long is recovery?
- Comfort returns within a few days. Tissue looks good at one to two weeks and is fully stable at six to twelve weeks, which is when crowns or veneers are made.
- What is the difference between a gum lift and LipStaT?
- A gum lift changes gum and bone position. LipStaT limits how far the upper lip lifts. If the gum position is correct and the lip is hypermobile, LipStaT is the right and less invasive choice.
- Can a gum lift be done with a laser?
- Soft tissue contouring can be. When bone must be recontoured to keep the result stable, a laser alone is not sufficient.
- Will insurance cover crown lengthening?
- Functional crown lengthening, done so a tooth can be crowned, is often partially covered. Purely cosmetic reshaping generally is not. Our insurance team files as a courtesy and tells you the estimate first, and CareCredit is available.
- How many teeth can be treated at once?
- Commonly six to ten front teeth in a single visit when the whole smile line is being corrected.
- Is a frenectomy painful?
- It is a short procedure under local anesthesia. Most patients need nothing stronger than over-the-counter medication and heal within a week.
Related
Too much gum, or a tooth that cannot be crowned?
Request a consultation. We will measure the cause, tell you which procedure actually fits, and put the plan and fee in writing.