Expose more healthy tooth for a secure crown or a more balanced smile with gentle crown lengthening in Bucktown.
A crown can only protect a tooth if it has something solid to hold on to. When a break or cavity reaches below the gumline, or when extra gum tissue hides most of the tooth, there may not be enough visible structure to support a lasting restoration. Crown lengthening gently moves the gumline back so your dentist has room to work and your smile looks more even.
Cityview Dental Arts, Dental Group of Chicago’s Bucktown office, performs crown lengthening as part of our periodontal care in Bucktown. The same team plans your procedure, checks your healing, and places your final restoration, all under one roof on Armitage Avenue.
Crown lengthening is a minor periodontal procedure that reshapes gum tissue, and sometimes a small amount of bone, to expose more of a tooth. The term “crown” refers to the part of the tooth above the gums, so lengthening it simply means more of the tooth becomes visible and usable.
Your gums attach to each tooth through a narrow band of tissue just above the bone. A 2024 study published in Cureus notes this attachment zone averages about 2 millimeters. If a crown edge crowds that space, the nearby gums can stay red and irritated, so crown lengthening creates enough room for both a healthy gumline and a well-sealed restoration.
Dr. Bock founded Cityview Dental Arts and continues to treat patients from the Bucktown office today. His long history in the neighborhood means many patients have trusted him with their care for years, now backed by the resources of Dental Group of Chicago.
Our Bucktown dentists suggest crown lengthening for both health and appearance. Common reasons include the following.
If you have a broken tooth or a crown that keeps failing, an exam and X-rays help us see whether crown lengthening can give the tooth a stronger foundation.
Restorative crown lengthening prepares a damaged tooth for a new dental crown in Bucktown. Exposing healthy structure lets the crown wrap around solid tooth instead of sitting on the gums, which can help it fit better and last longer. Once the tooth is ready, you can compare the different types of dental crowns to choose a material.
Cosmetic crown lengthening focuses on how your smile looks. When gums cover too much of the front teeth, reshaping them can reveal more natural tooth length and create a more even frame. It is one of several cosmetic periodontal surgery options in Bucktown we may discuss for a gummy smile.
Careful planning comes first. We examine the tooth, take digital X-rays to see the bone level, and measure the gum tissue around each tooth involved. For cosmetic cases, we also look at how your gums frame your smile when you talk and laugh.
These details tell us whether gum tissue alone needs reshaping or whether a small amount of bone also needs attention. When only soft tissue is involved, a gingivectomy in Bucktown may be enough. We walk you through the plan, the timeline to your final crown, and any temporary crown you may wear in the meantime.
Crown lengthening is done in our office with local anesthesia, so the area is fully numb before we begin. We gently lift the gum away from the tooth, remove or reshape the extra tissue, and smooth a small amount of bone if needed to create proper spacing.
The gums are then placed in their new position and held with small stitches while they heal. Treatment time depends on how many teeth are involved. Before you leave, we review aftercare and schedule your follow-up.
Some tenderness and mild swelling are normal for the first few days. Over-the-counter pain relief, soft foods, and gentle rinsing usually keep you comfortable, and many patients return to work within a day or two. Stitches are typically checked or removed at a follow-up visit about a week later.
The gums keep settling for several weeks after that, and front teeth may need a bit more time. Waiting until the tissue is stable helps your final crown or other restoration line up neatly with the new gumline, so we confirm your healing before taking final scans.
When crown lengthening is part of saving a damaged tooth, many dental plans may contribute toward the cost. Our team reviews your dental coverage with you before treatment and maps out your costs for both the procedure and the crown that follows.
Cherry financing can break any remaining balance into monthly payments. New patients without dental insurance can begin with a $99 visit, which includes an initial cleaning, a comprehensive exam, and a full set of digital X-rays.
Dr. Jerome Bock founded Cityview Dental Arts and still treats patients in Bucktown, now backed by Dental Group of Chicago. Our team completes most procedures in-house, so your crown lengthening and your new crown are planned together instead of split between offices.
Evening hours until 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday help you schedule treatment and follow-ups around work. During your visit, our comfort menu offers heated blankets, neck pillows, eucalyptus wipes, and a coffee bar.
The area is numbed with local anesthesia, so most patients feel pressure rather than pain during the procedure. Tenderness for a few days afterward is common and usually responds well to over-the-counter pain relief.
Many patients return to their usual routine within a day or two. The gums continue to heal and settle over the next several weeks before the final restoration is placed.
We typically wait several weeks, and sometimes longer for front teeth, so the gumline can stabilize. You may wear a temporary crown during that time to protect the tooth.
Treated teeth will show more of their natural surface, which is the goal. We plan the new gumline carefully so the result looks balanced with your neighboring teeth.
A gingivectomy removes or reshapes gum tissue only. Crown lengthening may also adjust a small amount of bone so the gums have enough room to reattach in a healthy position.
The gums may shift slightly while they heal, which is one reason we wait before placing the final crown. Once healed, the new gumline is typically stable with good home care.
Not always. Depending on how much healthy tooth remains, our team may discuss other options, including removing and replacing a tooth that cannot be restored predictably.
Many plans contribute when crown lengthening is needed to restore a damaged tooth, while cosmetic cases may be covered differently. Our team reviews your benefits before treatment, and Cherry financing is available.
Our Bucktown office, Cityview Dental Arts, is located at 2232 W. Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647.
Cityview Dental Arts is open Monday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Select any Book Appointment button on this page to request a time online, and our team will reach out to confirm.
Crown lengthening can turn a tooth that seemed hard to repair into one ready for a strong, natural-looking crown, or bring balance to a smile hidden by extra gum tissue. At Cityview Dental Arts, part of Dental Group of Chicago, planning, treatment, and your final restoration stay with one team on Armitage Avenue.
If a broken tooth, a loose crown, or a gummy smile has been on your mind, crown lengthening may be the step that makes a lasting fix possible. Contact our Bucktown office to schedule your crown lengthening consultation.
2232 W. Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL
Monday – Wednesday
Thursday
Saturday – Sunday
8 AM – 8 PM
10 AM – 6 PM
Closed
