Bruxism is an oral parafunctional activity that commonly occurs in most people at some point in their lives. The two main characteristics of this condition are grinding of the teeth or clenching of the jaw. These actions usually occur during a person’s sleeping hours, but may also occur during the day, particularly when stressed. Bruxism is one of the most common known sleep disorders. The most common symptoms are earaches, headaches, muscle pain and tooth discomfort, but can lead to difficulty in eating or opening and closing your mouth.

Your teeth affect your whole body. When they’re healthy, you’re healthier too. A missing tooth can affect your bite, speech and eating choices. As you rely more on your remaining teeth, you increase the chance they will wear out prematurely, or be damaged or lost. You may also experience headaches and/or jaw pain. Who would want their appearance and health to deteriorate? That’s the natural consequence of missing teeth – the bone literally melts away.

Crown lengthening is usually performed to improve the health of the gum tissue, prepare the mouth for a procedure, or correct a “gummy smile”. A “gummy smile” is used to describe an instance where teeth are covered with excess gum tissue resulting in a less aesthetically-pleasing smile. The procedure involves reshaping or re-contouring the gum tissue and bone around the tooth in question to create a new gum-to–tooth relationship. Crown lengthening can be performed on a single tooth, many teeth, or the entire gum line. Crown lengthening is often required when your tooth needs a new crown or other restoration.

We will schedule your appointment as promptly as possible. Please allow approximately 60-90 minutes for your initial visit. If you have pain or an emergency situation, every attempt will be made to see you as soon as possible that day. We work hard to stay on schedule to minimize waiting at the time of your appointment. Occasionally, unforeseen circumstances can cause delays to the schedule, and your understanding and patience are very much appreciated.  Whenever possible, we will contact you if your appointment time is delayed.