A periodontist performs a crown lengthening procedure by reshaping gum tissue, and sometimes bone, to expose more of the tooth’s surface in order to fit the crown and give the tooth its natural shape. It is a common procedure and often takes less than an hour to complete. Crown lengthening is necessary if there is not enough tooth to hold the crown as a broken or impacted tooth may prevent the crown from sticking firmly to it.

In some cases, the crown can be lengthened in order to improve the smile of the gums.