If you need a crown to cover a damaged tooth, but don’t have enough tooth structure remaining above the gumline to support the repair, Dr. Rizk may suggest a procedure called crown lengthening. Conducted in-house with laser technology, the method allows Dr. Rizk to trim the gum and reveal more of your tooth’s surface on which to apply the crown. If your teeth appear smaller than normal because of a gummy smile, the dentist can use this same procedure to remove a portion of the gum for cosmetic reasons.