Planning Tool For

Crown Lengthening
A decision tree to help you choose the best
approach to anterior crown lengthening.

Designed by Dr Lincoln Harris

NOTE:
This is a guide only. You are fully responsible for your own surgical decisions.
TALK TO US
Do not use this if you have no training or understanding of crown lengthening.
Please refer to a local specialist or expert in this field to guide you through your cases if you
are inexperienced.

Check out Dr. Lincoln's full

Watch Now >>
Crown Lengthening Series here.
BEFORE
AFTER
 Crown lengthening with
soft tissue resection,
crestal to provide 3mm
biologic width and
remodelling to thin bone,
reverse bevel incision
YES
Is the attached gingiva
thicker than 1mm?
NO
Crown lengthening with
soft tissue resection,
crestal and remodelling
bone to thin and 90
degree incision.

YES

Is the bone thicker than 1mm?

NO Crown lengthening with
YES soft tissue resection
crestal bone removal to
Will the resulting margin be closer than 2mm to the bone?
3mm biologic width and
NO reverse bevel incision.
YES YES
Will there be 2mm of Is the bone thicker than 1mm? Is the attached gingiva
attached tissue after
thicker than 1mm?
resection? NO NO
Crown lengthening with
soft tissue resection
Will the resulting margin be closer than 2mm to the bone?
crestal bone removal to
Is the attached gingiva 2mm biologic width and
YES NO
thicker than 1mm? 90 degree incision.

YES Is the attached gingiva

Is there a clinical YES YES YES YES NO
Is the patient thicker than 1mm?
Does the patient consent?
reason to crown Does the gingiva show?
concerned? YES NO
NO
lengthen? NO NO NO

YES NO

Reverse bevel incision

gingivectomy. Need 3mm Gingivectomy with 90
Is the bone thicker than 1mm? Is the bone thicker than 1mm?
to crest. Crown lengthen degree incision.
No treatment required. No treatment required. No treatment required. No treatment required. if less than 3mm.
Reverse bevel incision
Gingivectomy with 90
gingivectomy. Need 3mm
degree incision. Thin
to crest. Crown lengthen
bone if it looks un-​
if less than 3mm.
YES NO YES NO esthetically bulky only.
Remodel to thin the bone.

Is the attached gingiva Is the attached gingiva

thicker than 1mm? thicker than 1mm?

YES NO YES NO

Apically reposition gingiva Apically reposition gingiva

with crestal bone removal with remodelling bone to
to provide 3mm to the thin and removal to Apically resposition
gingiva and remodelling provide 2mm of biologic gingiva. Needs 3mm from Apically reposition gingiva
of the bone to thin. width. gingiva to bone. Remove with split flap.
crestal bone if necessary.

Apically reposition gingiva

Apically reposition gingiva with remodelling to thin
with crestal bone removal Is the attached gingiva Is the attached gingiva the bone. Remove crestal
YES YES
to provide 3mm biologic thicker than 1mm? thicker than 1mm? bone to leave 3mm of
width. biologic width to final
gingival height

NO NO

Apically reposition gingiva

Apically reposition gingiva
with crestal bone removal
with thinning of buccal
to provide 2mm biologic
bone.
width.