Crown lengthening - couldn't be happier!

[samoorelaw]

Wow, they have healed beautifully!!!! Congratulations I really CAN'T wait to see your true before and after once your braces are off!

Thank you! I can't wait to post my true afters either. Have an adjustment Monday and I hope I get an idea about a deband date. Congrats to you on finally getting your braces!

[MeyerLemon]

Thank you for the post! I have the same problem - my teeth are pretty worn down due to acid reflux, but I have to get the jaw surgery done first because my dentist doesn't want me to spend all that money and have the bite be wrong.

Hopefully I'll be to that point 2 years from now...

[samoorelaw]

Thank you for the post! I have the same problem - my teeth are pretty worn down due to acid reflux, but I have to get the jaw surgery done first because my dentist doesn't want me to spend all that money and have the bite be wrong.

Hopefully I'll be to that point 2 years from now...

You're welcome and I'm sorry to hear about your acid-reflux woes. I am now on a prescription for it to manage the enflamed esophagus (that's the main issue, and I don't have any other symptoms, no heartburn whatsoever), and I'm also cutting out caffeine (HARD!), chocolate (again, HARD but not as hard as cutting out caffeine), mint, spicy foods (which I didn't eat anyway), and alcohol (didn't drink anyway so no big deal). Unfortunately, the prescription I'm on is giving me some rather annoying, unwelcome side effects so I next plan on trying Prilosec to see if that will do the trick, as I once took generic Prilosec over the counter with no issues so hopefully the prescription will be the same.

I have to have a touch up procedure done to my gums next Friday so I will probably post some updated pics after that is done.

I agree with your surgeon: do the jaw surgery first and then worry about the crown lengthening later. Really, once you go through jaw surgery, the crown lengthening will be a WALK IN THE PALK: I literally had no pain from it during or after the procedure, and I had the lengthening done on 8 teeth at once. I also highly recommend doing the conscious IV sedation - best decision I ever made, no pain, no sickness after. IV sedation is a wonderful thing.

[BraceFaceBunny]

Hey guys

To start off can anyone explain why I can never see pictures on posts or properly quote someone for a response?

I'm getting a gingivectomy in august once my braces are off for a fuller smile.
As for the procedure, I'm only getting it done on six teeth (3 tops and 3 bottoms). How painful is the laser surgery?
Does insurance generally cover something like this and if not how expensive does it tend to be?

Thanks guys:)

[samoorelaw]

Hey guys

To start off can anyone explain why I can never see pictures on posts or properly quote someone for a response?

I'm getting a gingivectomy in august once my braces are off for a fuller smile.
As for the procedure, I'm only getting it done on six teeth (3 tops and 3 bottoms). How painful is the laser surgery?
Does insurance generally cover something like this and if not how expensive does it tend to be?

Thanks guys:)

Hello

Until you get the minimum number of posts, you won't be able to see the pics: sorry, I forgot about that. I think the minimum nunber of posts is 8 or 9.

To answer your questions: 1) I did not experience any pain during my procedure but then my periodontist used a traditional scalpel, no laser, so I don't know if the laser would hurt but I would think it would not with either local anesthetic or IV sedation; 2) my insurance covered mine (only contributed $306, my end was $2000) because I needed the procedure to make room for the crowns I do need (I have severe enamel erosion and my insurance already pre-approved the 8 crowns). If you are doing it strictly for cosmetic reasons, then usually insurance companies do not cover the procedure.

[BraceFaceBunny]

Oh wow that's not even that bad! I figure that mine won't be covered under insurance, even though my ortho believes I can file the treatment as a procedure to prevent gum disease, guess I'll have to talk to my insurance about that!

Happy your procedure went well will try to get to 9 posts to see the pics!

How was the healing time/pain with a scalpel?

[samoorelaw]

Oh wow that's not even that bad! I figure that mine won't be covered under insurance, even though my ortho believes I can file the treatment as a procedure to prevent gum disease, guess I'll have to talk to my insurance about that!

Happy your procedure went well will try to get to 9 posts to see the pics!

How was the healing time/pain with a scalpel?

Oops, forgot to answer this. Initial healing time was quite quick: I didn't have any pain and after about 2 weeks, the gums started to look more normal.

This is what my teeth look like today: excuse the yellow ligs. My midline is now finally where it should be! Anticipating getting a deband on August 11th.

[pjade1]

You have to be super excited that your braces are coming off soon. I also had a friend who had acid reflux and the enamel was worn off the backs of her teeth too. She did get all hers crowned after too. I will also need crowns on my upper teeth because I have worn all the enamel off from my lower teeth hitting the backs of my upper teeth. At first I didn't want braces and avoided them but now that I have them, I am ready for the crowns when I get my braces off too. It will be a long wait for me but I know eventually, I will get there.

Your teeth look great!

[samoorelaw]

You have to be super excited that your braces are coming off soon. I also had a friend who had acid reflux and the enamel was worn off the backs of her teeth too. She did get all hers crowned after too. I will also need crowns on my upper teeth because I have worn all the enamel off from my lower teeth hitting the backs of my upper teeth. At first I didn't want braces and avoided them but now that I have them, I am ready for the crowns when I get my braces off too. It will be a long wait for me but I know eventually, I will get there.

Your teeth look great!

Thank you! Yes, I'm excited indeed to hopefully get my deband date on August 11th (we are trying to correct a slight crossbite in my upper molars on the left side and midline). The midline will be perfect for a few hours but then it shifts back a bit again after the elastic comes off (grr!). Oh well, if this is the best result I can get, I'm happy with it. I want to get the crowns still, but I'm so broke with the braces, jaw and gum surgeries that I may just hold off for a bit. In any event, I will let the teeth/bite settle for at least 2-3 months after the braces come off before I get the crowns.

Good luck to you on your braces journey!