crown lengthening

to achieve a more esthetic gumline

If you’ve ever felt like your teeth look short, your smile seems “gummy,” or your dentist said you need more tooth exposed for a crown or filling, then crown lengthening might be the solution.

At Dougherty Cosmetic Dentistry, we offer crown lengthening as both a cosmetic and restorative procedure. Whether you’re here for aesthetics or to support dental work, this treatment can help reveal more of your natural tooth structure while improving overall gum health.

Is Crown Lengthening Right For Me?

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What Is crown lengthening?

Crown lengthening is a minor treatment that involves reshaping or removing excess gum tissue to expose more of the tooth’s surface. Despite the name, it doesn’t actually make your tooth longer, instead it reveals more of your tooth by adjusting the gum line.

It’s commonly performed for two reasons:

Functionality and Restorative Care: To access more tooth surface for a crown, filling, or other dental restoration, it may be necessary to receive crown lengthening.
Cosmetic: To reduce a “gummy smile” and create better symmetry between your teeth and gums

Regardless of the reason, the result is a more balanced smile and improved conditions for long-term oral health.

Who Might Need crown lengthening?

Maybe there isn’t enough visible tooth structure for a crown, or you’ve been bothered by how your gums affect your smile. The good news is, crown lengthening might be the answer.

Crown lengthening is recommended when:

There’s not enough visible tooth above the gumline to support a dental crown or filling
Gum tissue is covering a large portion of your teeth, making them appear short or small
A tooth has broken below the gumline and needs to be exposed for treatment
You want to correct an uneven gum line or reduce excessive gum display when you smile

It’s often part of a larger treatment plan for cosmetic dentistry, full mouth reconstruction, or advanced restorative work but can be used as a stand alone dental service for a more symmetrical smile.

It’s a safe, effective procedure with a high satisfaction rate, especially when performed as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

Our Mission

We are proud to serve our patients with the highest quality dental care. We strive to deliver a personalized healthcare experience in a comfortable environment to all of our patients.

Meet Our Providers

If you want to know MORE ABOUT THE TEAM, a description of the providers are:

Larry Dougherty, DDS
Kelsey Edmondson, DDS, MS
Richard D’Avanzo, DMD
Robert Busch, DMD, MD

Larry Dougherty, DDS

Larry Dougherty of Garden Ridge is the owner and lead dentist at Dougherty Cosmetic Dentistry. He earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As a dental student, he was awarded the College of Dental Medicine Service Award for his commitment to welcoming all prospective students interviewing for dental school.

While serving as Chair of the San Antonio District Dental Society New Dentist Committee, Dr. Dougherty won an award from the American Dental Association for Outstanding Program by creating a Fantasy Football league involving members and sponsors.

Kelsey Edmondson, DDS, MS

Dr. Kelsey Edmondson was born and raised in Houston, TX and obtained her bachelor’s degree in Human Biology from The University of Texas at Austin. She then attended The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston where she received her Doctorate in Dental Surgery.

After graduation from dental school, Dr. Edmondson completed three years of post-graduate surgical training and received her Master of Science degree and earned a Certificate in Periodontics from The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston.

Richard D’Avanzo, DMD

Dr. D’Avanzo is a Board Certified Orthodontist. He graduated from Albright College with a degree in biology and then obtained his DMD degree from Fairleigh Dickinson School of Dental Medicine.

He also obtained his Master of Science degree in oral biology from Temple University School of Dentistry with a specialty in orthodontics.

Robert Busch, DMD, MD

Dr. Robert Busch is a board-certified dental surgeon. He earned his dental degree from the University of Florida College of Dentistry before completing medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern. He went on to complete a general surgery internship followed by a residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at UT Southwestern.

In addition, Dr. Busch trained at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, further strengthening his clinical and scientific expertise.

His work as a dental surgeon includes everything from single-tooth implants to full-arch restorations (All-on-4®). Dr. Busch also offers a comprehensive range of anesthetic options to ensure patient comfort throughout every stage of treatment.

Dougherty Cosmetic Dentistry – Before and After Images of Patients

The Crown Lengthening Process: What to Expect

We make the experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible. Here’s a look at how the process works:

1. Consultation & Planning
2. Local Anesthesia
3. Gum Reshaping
4. Healing & Follow-Up

1. Consultation & Planning

First, we’ll evaluate your smile, bite, and oral health to determine whether crown lengthening is the right approach. Digital X-rays or 3D scans help us plan the treatment with precision. We also account for factors such as the number of teeth requiring treatment when making cosmetic and/or restorative dentistry recommendations.

2. Local Anesthesia

For utmost comfort, a numbing anesthetic is administered before treatment. The area is numbed completely so you won’t feel a thing during the procedure. If you’re feeling nervous, we offer sedation options to help you relax.

3. Gum Reshaping

Using advanced instruments, we gently reshape or remove excess gum tissue. This process is based on your smile goals and digital imaging to shape the smile you desire.

Only a small amount of gum tissue may need to be adjusted since there are risks like an allergic reaction to the anesthetic (rare) and relapse of the gum tissue. Symmetry may be achieved by removing bone from the roots of the teeth. Regardless of the situation, the opening created to access the underlying tissues is cleansed and closed.

4. Healing & Follow-Up

Of course, we will review any after-care and follow-up needs with you before treatment.

The area will begin to heal over the next 1–2 weeks. Most patients experience only mild soreness, easily managed with over-the-counter pain relief. We’ll check in with you to make sure everything’s healing smoothly and you are happy with the results.

Functional and Cosmetic Benefits

Crown lengthening doesn’t just improve the way your smile looks, it also sets the stage for healthier and longer-lasting dental work.

Functional benefits:

Creates room for crowns, fillings, or veneers to bond properly
Helps prevent decay and gum disease in hard-to-reach areas
Allows for more accurate and comfortable restorative treatment

Cosmetic benefits:

Reduces excess gum display (gummy smile)
Evens out an uneven gum line
Enhances the proportions and symmetry of your teeth

How Crown Lengthening Supports Smile Design

A well-proportioned smile involves more than just straight, white teeth—it’s also about the balance between your teeth and gums. Crown lengthening plays a crucial role in enhancing that harmony. By revealing more of the natural tooth, we can improve the ratio of tooth to gum, which helps teeth appear longer, more even, and more symmetrical.

This procedure is often one of the first steps in a comprehensive smile makeover and can be combined with veneers, whitening, or Invisalign® to achieve the best esthetic outcome. At Dougherty Cosmetic Dentistry, we tailor every treatment to fit your goals, lifestyle, and comfort.

What Other Treatments Do We Offer with a Smile Design?

Depending on your needs, crown lengthening may be part of a larger treatment plan—or it may not be necessary at all. During your consultation, we’ll evaluate whether another approach might better support your goals.

Some supporting or alternative treatments may include:

Periodontal Therapy: Treats gum inflammation or infection to ensure the tissue is healthy before any reshaping procedure.
Dental Restorations: Crowns or bonded composites can be used to build up the tooth structure without adjusting the gum line.
Invisalign®: Orthodontic treatment may help correct spacing or alignment concerns, improving your smile’s appearance without surgical intervention.

Each smile is unique. We’ll help you explore all your options and choose the most effective, least invasive path forward.

Crown Lengthening FAQs

All of our “smile features” are in beautiful proportion with each other. When there is either too little or too much tissue at the gumline, smiles may look overly “toothy” or “gummy.” Esthetic crown lengthening at Dougherty Cosmetic Dentistry supports appealing symmetry between the teeth and gum line.

Read on as our friendly and talented team in Garden Ridge explains how we design smiles that exude health, radiance, and confidence by answering your FAQs about this procedure.

Studies have revealed that just three millimeters of excess gingiva can make the gum line look too prominent. Excessive tissue around your tooth’s white, visible crown part overwhelms the rest of the smile. Your teeth may be the right length, but they won’t appear that way.

Gingival hypertrophy or hyperplasia (gum enlargement) may be caused by how the teeth and supporting tissues develop. Some patients may have a genetic predisposition for collagen overproduction. Too much of this can result in the overgrowth of gum tissue.

Gingival overgrowth may be triggered by conditions like diabetes and medications like calcium channel blockers, that are used to manage these diseases. In addition to systemic illnesses, oral issues like gum disease and worn teeth may be blamed due to persistent inflammation and tooth length reduction.

Like other treatments offered at our office, crown lengthening begins with a consultation. Dr. Larry Dougherty takes a peek inside your mouth. Advanced diagnostic technologies may also be used to “see” what we cannot detect with our eyes alone. We cannot treat what we do not know. So, an accurate diagnosis is essential.

Your Smile Journey Starts Today!

There are many options in Garden Ridge, TX, for getting the healthy, stunning smile you deserve. Call us at (210) 880-4120 to schedule a consultation today.