Crown Lengthening

A dentist’s first goal is always to save your teeth, which means that dental professionals have developed many dental procedures that help prevent tooth extraction. One such procedure is crown lengthening, which we use at Northland Dental Medicine in cases where decay has decimated a tooth to a point where there is not enough tooth structure left upon which to fix a crown.

If a tooth has broken below the gum line or if decay has developed underneath an existing crown or filling, crown lengthening allows a new crown to be placed rather than extracting the tooth.

While called crown lengthening, this common surgical procedure does not actually lengthen the crown. What it does is lower the gum line, and it does this by removing gum tissue, bone or both to expose more of the tooth and provide a foundation for the crown.

The procedure is performed with a local anesthesia to numb the area. When the area is fully numb, Dr. Michael Corsello will pull the gums away from the teeth and expose the roots and surrounding bone. In some cases, removing a little of the gum tissue will expose enough of the tooth for placing a crown. However, it is more likely that some bone will also have to be removed from around the roots of the teeth. After removing the necessary amount of tissue and bone, the area will be washed and the gums stitched.

Our office works hard to always protect your teeth and to provide the best quality of dental care available. To schedule an appointment at our practice in Pittsburgh, PA, call 412-453-5344. For more information, visit www.northlanddentalmedicine.com.

JUVÉDERM® and BOTOX®

At Northland Dental Medicine in Pittsburgh, PA, we do more than take care of teeth. Our practice also helps patients feel truly confident with their smiles by providing facial rejuvenation procedures with JUVÉDERM® and BOTOX® Cosmetic dermal fillers.

JUVÉDERM® and BOTOX® are medications used in facial aesthetics to temporarily improve the appearance of moderate to severe wrinkles and frown lines. JUVÉDERM® does this by filling in the lines and smoothing away the wrinkles that reside around your mouth and nose, while BOTOX® reduces wrinkles by reducing activity in the muscles that can cause them over time.

Used to rejuvenate multiple problem areas, JUVÉDERM® decreases the appearance of wrinkles and restores youthful contours. Able to remove up to two years off of patients 21 years and older, JUVÉDERM® uses hyaluronic acid, a hydrating substance that occurs naturally in healthy skin. Hyaluronic acid decreases naturally as you age and are exposed to sunlight and other factors. As it decreases, your skin begins to lose structure and volume, which creates facial wrinkles and folds, like those made around your nose and mouth.

The active ingredient in BOTOX® is botulinum toxin type A, which acts on nerve endings in muscles to prevent muscle fibers from contracting. If the muscles’ contractions are minimized, then frown lines can be temporarily reduced. The FDA-approved treatment can be used on patients between 18 and 65 years old and has effects that last for several months. It is most commonly used to treat crow’s feet and wrinkles on the nose, between the eyes, on the forehead and on the chin.

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Michael Corsello by calling 412-453-5344. For more information, visit www.northlanddentalmedicine.com.