If you have a gummy smile, your dental specialist might recommend a crown lengthening procedure to fix your smile. It also enables other dental procedures, including tooth extraction, dental implant surgery, and more. During the procedure, the oral surgeon might remove the targeted gum tissue. Sometimes, the procedure might involve removing bone tissue from the alveolar ridge. So, what to expect after crown lengthening? In this blog, we will discuss crown-lengthening recovery time and more!
How Long Does Crown Lengthening Take to Heal?
Generally, the recovery time for a crown lengthening procedure is approximately three months. You can resume your usual activities once your gums heal, but make sure to avoid strenuous activity for the first two days at least.
What to Expect During Recovery After Crown Lengthening Procedure
While it takes almost 3 months to recover following the procedure, you will need to rest for 2 to 3 days. You may need to take a few days off of work if your job includes activities with physical strain. Sensitivity, bleeding, and pain are to be expected as well, but your dental expert will tell you how to manage the discomfort. Here is what to expect after the crown lengthening procedure:
- Pain: During the procedure, anesthetics are used to numb the area. This way, you will not feel any pain during the crown lengthening treatment. When the surgery is complete, the anesthesia will wear off, which means the numbness goes away. Your oral surgeon will provide you with long-term anesthetics or medications to manage the pain. In addition, you might also experience slight chills or weakness. Make sure you take the medications as prescribed to prevent pain!
- Swelling & Bleeding: In the first 24-48 hours after the surgical treatment with bone or gum grafting. Usually, the professional expert recommends a cold compress to reduce swelling and bleeding. Moreover, you may have to limit hot foods and drinks for the first day after surgery. Follow your oral surgeon’s aftercare instructions to stop the bleeding and manage other symptoms!
- Dressing: Some patients will have a surgical dressing on the treated site, and the oral surgeon will provide instructions to properly take care of it. You may have to wait 7-14 days for the dressing to be removed. In addition, the doctor will replace the dressing as needed during this time.
- Sensitivity: The tooth surrounding the crown lengthening site will be affected as well. Therefore, you can expect sensitivity to extreme temperature in the surrounding teeth, which goes away after a few weeks. You should avoid the possible triggers and wait for the sensitivity to reduce as the site heals.
- Diet: During the crown lengthening recovery time, you will be asked to maintain a soft food diet. If you consume hard, crispy, spicy, or acidic foods, it can have detrimental side effects and delay healing. That’s not all; your dentist will advise against alcohol consumption and smoking as well.
Final Word
You can expect to recover in almost three months after your crown lengthening procedure. Make sure to follow the aftercare instructions to maintain the symptoms and side effects that might take place.
At Houston Dental Implants, we have an exceptional team that will work to resolve all your oral health issues. Talk to us at: Bellaire: (713) 664-1661