One- Versus Two-Stage Aesthetic Crown Lengthening

Using the surgical guide, submarginal internal bevel incisions were performed on the buccal aspect of the affected teeth. A full-thickness flap was raised up to the mucogingival junction (Dominguez et al., 2020). Ostectomy and osteoplasty were carried out by means of rotatory instruments and surgical chisels, as necessary, to achieve the necessary space between the bone crest and the restorative margin according to the presurgical plan. The CEJ was not the reference point since, in many cases, the position of the final margin of the restoration was planned apical to the actual position of the CEJ. Exposed root surfaces were carefully instrumented manually with curettes and, finally, vertical internal mattress sutures were placed to position the gingival margin at the level of the margin of the planned restoration. Sutures were removed after 7 days

In the first surgical intervention, intrasulcular incisions were performed and a full thickness flap was raised up to the mucogingival junction. Ostectomy and osteoplasty were performed to establish the space for supracrestal tissue attachment, following the restorative plan and using the presurgical blueprint as the reference to determine the final position of the restoration margin, instead of the CEJ (Lee, 2004). Then the flaps were repositioned and secured with internal mattress sutures, placing the gingival margin at the original level. Sutures were removed at 7 days. In the second stage, after 3-4 months, minor gingival recontouring was performed, if necessary, to attain the desired gingival margin position according to the presurgical plan.