Crown Lengthening in Modern Dentistry: Clinical Guidelines and Considerations

A smile greatly impacts perceived attractiveness and confidence. Excessive gingival display, or a “gummy smile,” often results from altered passive eruption (APE) or issues like subgingival fractures. Crown Lengthening Surgery (CLS), introduced by D.W. Cohen in 1962, addresses this by repositioning the gingival margin and removing soft and/or hard tissue. CLS is indicated for prosthetic, esthetic, and restorative purposes. Techniques range from traditional flaps and osseous resection to modern methods like lasers, electrocautery, piezosurgery, and CAD-CAM guided surgery. This review highlights CLS's history, indications, methods, and innovations, emphasizing its key role in dental esthetics and function. Keywords: Biologic Width, Crown Lengthening, Gingivectomy, Osseous