Last Updated: October 2026
What this case cost
$263/month
144 payments at 9.99% APR, on approved credit.
Total: $22,000 for guided crown lengthening and ten porcelain veneers.
One side of your smile shows more gum than the other?
When the gum sits lower on one side than the other, the whole smile reads as tilted: the edges of the teeth follow the gum line, and the midline follows the edges. Veneers alone cannot correct that, because the frame is what is crooked, not the teeth. If one side of your smile shows more gum than the other, send us a photo.
- A call within two hours during office hours.
- A written cost from us, before you commit to anything.
- No obligation. Many patients take weeks to decide. That is normal.
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Treatment Plan by Dr. Mehdizadeh
- Professional cleaning and health baseline
- Crown lengthening (gum lift with bone recontouring)
- Temporary veneers for a test-drive
- Refinement of the gum contour
- Ten porcelain veneers
The Patient's Journey
This patient wanted a fuller, more symmetrical smile. His upper teeth were too small to meet properly at the edges, which left small gaps between his front teeth. The larger problem was that the gum line was not level: one side sat higher than the other, so that side showed noticeably more gum, and the edges of the teeth and the midline both followed the tilt. He wanted it brighter and straighter - but still natural and masculine, not obviously done.
A tilted smile is rarely a tooth problem. The gum line is the frame, and everything inside it is read against it - so the fix is the frame, not the polish.
Understanding the Challenge
The gum line here sat low from uneven passive eruption: the gum never finished migrating to its adult position, and it stopped further along on one side than the other. Veneering over that makes the teeth look bulky and leaves the tilt exactly where it was. The frame has to be corrected first. That meant a gum lift - and specifically crown lengthening, which recontours the bone underneath the gum, not just the surface tissue. This is an important distinction: a tissue-only laser trim (gingivectomy) can relapse when the underlying bone isn't addressed, whereas crown lengthening resets the gum level in a stable, lasting way.
Initial Findings
A gum line that sat higher on one side than the other, from uneven passive eruption; excessive gum display on that side; short clinical crowns; incisal edges and midline both following the tilt; small spaces between the front teeth; a request for a natural, masculine result.
The Treatment Sequence
We designed the smile around his facial features, working from the horizontal rather than from the teeth. Crown lengthening was carried across the whole arch, but the higher side was lifted further, so that the finished gum line sat level. That is what let the midline come back to center and the incisal edges run straight. With the extra length available, each tooth could be increased proportionally and subtly widened to close the small gaps without adding bulk. Temporary veneers let him test-drive the new shape and size before anything permanent was made, and we refined the gum contour before delivering ten porcelain veneers.
The Result
An even gum line and a smile that reads as full, bright, and symmetrical - understated from a distance, precise up close, and still unmistakably his.
Frequently Asked Questions About Crown Lengthening and Veneers
What is a gummy smile?
A smile that shows more gum tissue than usual, often because the teeth are short relative to the gums and face. Where the gum shows more on one side than the other, the cause is usually that the gum line itself is not level.
What's the difference between crown lengthening and a gingivectomy?
A gingivectomy removes gum tissue only. Crown lengthening also recontours the bone beneath it, which produces a more stable, lasting change to the gum level.
Why couldn't veneers alone fix this?
Veneering short teeth without correcting the gum line tends to look bulky and leaves the tilt in place. The gum line is the horizontal everything else is judged against, so it is set first; the veneers are shaped to it afterwards.
Can a tilted gum line be corrected without braces?
Often, yes. Where the tilt comes from the gum sitting at different heights rather than from the teeth themselves being out of position, crown lengthening can level the gum line directly. Braces move teeth; this moves the frame around them.
Why the temporary veneers first?
They let you preview and adjust the size and shape of the new smile before the permanent veneers are made.
Does crown lengthening hurt?
It is done with local anesthesia, and most people describe the recovery as mild soreness that settles within days.
Will my smile still look masculine and natural?
Yes - the design increases proportions subtly rather than making teeth oversized or overly white.
How long does the process take?
This case took about twelve weeks, allowing for gum healing between the lengthening and the final veneers.
What does treatment like this cost?
This case was $22,000, covering guided crown lengthening and ten porcelain veneers. $263/month: 144 payments at 9.99% APR, on approved credit.
Last Updated: October 2026
