Crown Lengthening in Ocala
Maybe a back molar broke off near the gumline and you were told it can't hold a crown. Maybe a filling keeps failing because decay runs below the gum. Or maybe your teeth look short and square because gum tissue covers too much of them. All three situations point to the same solution, and it's one we handle right here in our Ocala office: crown lengthening.
Crown lengthening is a periodontal procedure that reshapes gum tissue — and, when needed, a small amount of the underlying bone — to expose more of the natural tooth. The "crown" in the name refers to the visible portion of your tooth, not a porcelain restoration, though the two are often connected. When more tooth structure is visible above the gumline, there's a stable surface for a crown, onlay, or filling to grip.
We perform crown lengthening for two broad reasons. The first is restorative: a tooth has fractured, worn down, or decayed so close to the gum that a restoration has nothing solid to seat against. Without enough healthy structure, a crown can loosen or trap bacteria at the margin. The second reason is cosmetic. Some people have perfectly healthy teeth that simply appear short because excess gum tissue covers them, sometimes described as a "gummy smile." Recontouring the gumline in those cases creates a more balanced proportion between teeth and tissue.
Most adults who need a crown but lack enough tooth above the gum are candidates. We also consider crown lengthening when decay extends beneath the gumline and needs to be fully reached and removed before any restoration is placed, or when a tooth has cracked at an awkward angle. For cosmetic cases, candidacy depends on the shape of your gums, the position of the bone, and the length of the tooth underneath.
Healthy gums matter here. If active gum disease is present, we treat that first — scaling and root planing, periodontal maintenance, or periodontal surgery as the situation calls for — so the procedure heals on stable ground. Because we provide general, restorative, cosmetic, and periodontal care under one roof, Ocala patients don't have to coordinate between separate offices to get that sequence done. We also accept patients without a referral, so you can come directly to us if another dentist mentioned crown lengthening and you'd rather have it done close to home. Alongside Ocala, we see patients from Belleview, Silver Springs, Dunnellon, Summerfield, Marion Oaks, The Villages, and surrounding Marion County communities.
What the Procedure Involves
We start with an exam and imaging to see where the bone sits relative to the tooth and how much structure is hidden. That assessment tells us whether gum tissue alone needs adjusting or whether bone must be recontoured as well. We'll walk you through the plan, including how it fits with the crown or filling that follows.
The procedure itself is done with local anesthetic. Depending on your comfort level, nitrous oxide sedation or oral sedation can be added. We remove or reshape the tissue around the tooth — sometimes using laser dentistry for gum contouring cases — and when bone adjustment is needed, we access it and smooth it to the correct level before closing the area. A single tooth usually takes less time than a multi-tooth cosmetic case.
- Local anesthetic, with nitrous oxide or oral sedation available
- Gum tissue reshaped and, when necessary, bone recontoured
- Treatment of one tooth or several, depending on your needs
- A healing period before the final crown or restoration is placed
- Follow-up visits to check tissue healing and plan the restoration
Healing and Aftercare
Expect some tenderness and swelling for the first several days. We'll give you specific instructions covering what to eat, how to clean the area gently, and how to manage discomfort. Soft foods and careful brushing around the site go a long way during that first week.
Gum tissue needs time to settle into its final position before a permanent crown is made — rushing that step can leave an uneven margin. We'll schedule follow-up visits to monitor healing, then move forward with your restoration. Our on-site dental lab means crowns, dentures, and repairs are fabricated here rather than shipped out, which keeps turnaround short for Ocala patients.
Insurance, Payment, and Scheduling in Ocala
We accept all major PPO insurance plans and file claims as a general practice. We also welcome self-pay and cash patients, and we offer flexible payment plans when treatment is spread across several appointments.
Our team — including Dr. Hussein Salifu and Dr. Marco Geris — has served Ocala families for over 30 years, treating adults and children alike. We're members of the FDA and the Central Florida District Dental Association, and we offer emergency appointments when a broken tooth can't wait. Call our Ocala office to schedule an evaluation.