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Crown lengthening

T

Totyi53

Junior member
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
3
I was just told by my dentist yesterday that I need to have periodontal surgery - crown lengthening because decay was found on the xray to be below the gum line - is this really necessary to have them remove bone as well as cut away gum tissue in order for a permanent crown to fit? I wonder if pulling the tooth is a simpler better option. A temporary crown has been put over the tooth. Is there no other option? I would almost rather have the tooth removed. Please help
 
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Re: crown lengthening

Hi the crown lengthening procedure is used to deal with the issues you have mentioned and other situations.
I think the main point here is not what you 'need' but what you 'want'. This is where you look at the treatment options and decide on the basis of as much information as possible what suits your requirements. Treatments are offered, not insisted on and you are the one at choice.
Things to consider are:
What would be the consequences of the loss of the tooth?
Would you need to restore the space that losing the tooth would produce?-(that might be based on where in the mouth the tooth is located eg would your appearance be affected?)
What are the possible costs associated with losing the tooth as opposed to the costs involved in using the surgery to restore it.
What is your objection to the surgical procedure? Is it cost? Is it fear?
As you consider the options and the consequences as well as the costs an answer should emerge as to what is best for you at this particular time.
Do not rush to decision (except where pain forces the decision) but consider carefully all options and ask what is right for you at this time? If times (or other circumstances) were different you might make a different choice in line with those circumstances.
There is no 'right' or 'wrong' - just choices and consequences!
Take you time and ask as many questions as you have!
best
Philip.
 
Re: crown lengthening

I believe I heard the Dentist say that it is tooth 19 lower left side. I had a silver crown put in place 24 years ago and then a procelin one 4 years ago.
When I went to the Dentist in January the X-ray indicated that there was decay under the crown and under the gum line. The Dentist said my only option was to do the crown lengthening. It sounds like it will be very painful afterwards and that the teeth surrounding the tooth will now be permanently effected in one way or another. I asked the Dentist to just pull the tooth and both he and the surgeon said that crown legnthening is the best and simplest way to go. Reading about it on the internet does not indicate that.:cry: He removed the decay yesterday and placed a temporary crown in it's place. However, I can't even chew a simple piece of bread on the left side of my mouth as it causes pain. Now that the decay has been removed, doesn't it need to be filled? I really do not have any fear of the dentist, I just don't like the description of the procedure and that now other teeth can be effected that are perfectly fine. As a matter of fact I did not have any pain, sensetivity or otherwise with the tooth that they want to do the surgery on.
 
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Re: crown lengthening

hi again,
The pain that you are experiencing needs to be dealt with first and foremost.

The temporary crown is equivalent to a temporary filling in this case so that answers that question.
I do these crown lengthening procedures as a periodontist and they are really quite simple. There may be a little pain/tenderness afterwards for few days (usually well less than after extraction) but there are no major effects to the adjacent teeth.
Most importantly, I would not do the procedure until the pain is dealt with first. That is the most important thing and must be sorted first.
Please let your dentist/periodontist know of your concerns and do not be pushed into decisions.
It is still always your choice and your right to have details and explanations.
best
Philip.
 
Re: crown lengthening

what is easier or simpler - pulling the tooth and doing a bridge, or doing the crown lengthening? Approximately how long does this procedure take? I spent two hours yesterday having the crown and decay removed.
 
Re: crown lengthening

what is easier or simpler - pulling the tooth and doing a bridge, or doing the crown lengthening? Approximately how long does this procedure take? I spent two hours yesterday having the crown and decay removed.

Surely the downside of a bridge is that it does affects the two healthy teeth on either side - did you misread maybe the pros and cons of crown lengthening then crown, versus a bridge?
 
Re: crown lengthening

crown lengthening is considerably easier to do than extraction and bridgework but please have the pain sorted first. I cannot overemphasise the dealing with the pain first. doing any gum surgical procedure on a tooth with unresolved pain would be foolish and a waste.
When the pain has been dealt with we can discuss the crown lengthening procedure again.
 
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