[How long does a tooth last after a surgical crown lengthening?]

Abstract

The presence of subgingival pathology, such as a deep secondary caries lesion, a fracture, an already existing restoration that needs to be replaced or the presence of a resorption defect, can constitute a difficult starting situation for the preservation of a tooth. How to deal with such a situation has been a topic of discussion for years. Surgical crown lengthening is one of the first and classic treatment options that is often chosen in such cases. Crown lengthening is a periodontal surgical technique to obtain extra supra crestal clinical crown length. The question is, what is the long-term prognosis of teeth after surgical crown lengthening. To answer this question, a review of the literature was carried out looking for clinical studies examining survival. Four studies with a follow-up of at least 5 years were included. The factors that adversely affect survival of the tooth after the crown lengthening are an unfavourable crown-root ratio, insufficient plaque control and moderate ability to keep the restoration clean.