I've Just Had a Crown Prepped and the Dentist Said That the Prep Height Goes Below the Gum Level?

I am not a fan of placing crown margins below the gum line and avoid it at all costs.  With the use of soft tissue lasers it is rare that I need to place the margin subgingival.  I prefer to keep the margin at or slightly above the tissue to allow for the bonding of an all ceramic crown.  Good luck. 

In the old days, before we started making and using all ceramic crowns, specially when were using porcelain fused to metal crown exclusively, we (more mature dentist) were taught to end our crown prep slightly below the gum line to hide the metal line.

Now that we are using all ceramic type of restorations, as much as possible we keep the finish line above the gum.  

 

Hi Carowalk...crown preps can go below the gum line. Ask your dentist WHY your crown prep will be below the gum line. I am assured he has an answer for you! Often the crown prep will be placed  below the gum line if the patient has periodontal issues and the doctor is trying to protect the gum tissue or the patient has a lot of recession and it would be a "high water crown" if placed above the gum lne.  Always check with your dentist why the crown is going to be prepped that way. Also remember either way will work. It can be cemented in place below the gum line.

Without boring you anything under the gum tissue can cause irritation and irritation can lead to inflammation and tissue destruction. The goal is to keep the margin of a filling or crown 5mm away from the crest of bone this is called the biological width. In order to accomplish this some times we do a procedure called crown lengthening where we surgically reduce the bone around your tooth so the margin of the filling or crown does not invade the biologic area, its good dentistry but in the real world compromise is sometimes necessary good luck

 

Kevin Coughlin DMD, MBA, MAGD     CEO Baystate Dental PC

Very often crown preps have to go below the gum line. The crown can still be bonded or cemented in place.