diff --git a/crates/typst-layout/src/inline/shaping.rs b/crates/typst-layout/src/inline/shaping.rs
index 743445fbe..2b93b93a9 100644
--- a/crates/typst-layout/src/inline/shaping.rs
+++ b/crates/typst-layout/src/inline/shaping.rs
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ impl<'a> ShapedText<'a> {
                         adjustability_right * justification_ratio;
                     if shaped.is_justifiable() {
                         justification_right +=
-                            Em::from_length(extra_justification, glyph_size)
+                            Em::from_abs(extra_justification, glyph_size)
                     }
 
                     frame.size_mut().x += justification_left.at(glyph_size)
@@ -1074,9 +1074,8 @@ fn shape_tofus(ctx: &mut ShapingContext, base: usize, text: &str, font: Font) {
 
 /// Apply tracking and spacing to the shaped glyphs.
 fn track_and_space(ctx: &mut ShapingContext) {
-    let tracking = Em::from_length(TextElem::tracking_in(ctx.styles), ctx.size);
-    let spacing =
-        TextElem::spacing_in(ctx.styles).map(|abs| Em::from_length(abs, ctx.size));
+    let tracking = Em::from_abs(TextElem::tracking_in(ctx.styles), ctx.size);
+    let spacing = TextElem::spacing_in(ctx.styles).map(|abs| Em::from_abs(abs, ctx.size));
 
     let mut glyphs = ctx.glyphs.iter_mut().peekable();
     while let Some(glyph) = glyphs.next() {
diff --git a/crates/typst-layout/src/math/fragment.rs b/crates/typst-layout/src/math/fragment.rs
index eb85eeb5d..c5891f7d5 100644
--- a/crates/typst-layout/src/math/fragment.rs
+++ b/crates/typst-layout/src/math/fragment.rs
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ impl MathFragment {
                     &glyph.item.font,
                     GlyphId(glyph.item.glyphs[glyph_index].id),
                     corner,
-                    Em::from_length(height, glyph.item.size),
+                    Em::from_abs(height, glyph.item.size),
                 )
                 .unwrap_or_default()
                 .at(glyph.item.size)
@@ -767,8 +767,8 @@ fn assemble(
             advance += ratio * (max_overlap - min_overlap);
         }
         let (x, y) = match axis {
-            Axis::X => (Em::from_length(advance, base.item.size), Em::zero()),
-            Axis::Y => (Em::zero(), Em::from_length(advance, base.item.size)),
+            Axis::X => (Em::from_abs(advance, base.item.size), Em::zero()),
+            Axis::Y => (Em::zero(), Em::from_abs(advance, base.item.size)),
         };
         glyphs.push(Glyph {
             id: part.glyph_id.0,
diff --git a/crates/typst-library/src/layout/em.rs b/crates/typst-library/src/layout/em.rs
index e2d8b120f..746e17692 100644
--- a/crates/typst-library/src/layout/em.rs
+++ b/crates/typst-library/src/layout/em.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use ecow::EcoString;
 use typst_utils::{Numeric, Scalar};
 
 use crate::foundations::{cast, repr, Repr, Resolve, StyleChain, Value};
-use crate::layout::Abs;
+use crate::layout::{Abs, Length};
 use crate::text::TextElem;
 
 /// A length that is relative to the font size.
@@ -26,18 +26,18 @@ impl Em {
         Self(Scalar::ONE)
     }
 
-    /// Create a font-relative length.
+    /// Creates a font-relative length.
     pub const fn new(em: f64) -> Self {
         Self(Scalar::new(em))
     }
 
-    /// Create an em length from font units at the given units per em.
+    /// Creates an em length from font units at the given units per em.
     pub fn from_units(units: impl Into<f64>, units_per_em: f64) -> Self {
         Self(Scalar::new(units.into() / units_per_em))
     }
 
-    /// Create an em length from a length at the given font size.
-    pub fn from_length(length: Abs, font_size: Abs) -> Self {
+    /// Creates an em length from an absolute length at the given font size.
+    pub fn from_abs(length: Abs, font_size: Abs) -> Self {
         let result = length / font_size;
         if result.is_finite() {
             Self(Scalar::new(result))
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ impl Em {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Creates an em length from a length at the given font size.
+    pub fn from_length(length: Length, font_size: Abs) -> Em {
+        length.em + Self::from_abs(length.abs, font_size)
+    }
+
     /// The number of em units.
     pub const fn get(self) -> f64 {
         (self.0).get()
@@ -56,7 +61,7 @@ impl Em {
         Self::new(self.get().abs())
     }
 
-    /// Convert to an absolute length at the given font size.
+    /// Converts to an absolute length at the given font size.
     pub fn at(self, font_size: Abs) -> Abs {
         let resolved = font_size * self.get();
         if resolved.is_finite() {
diff --git a/crates/typst-library/src/layout/length.rs b/crates/typst-library/src/layout/length.rs
index 60991295f..800140c47 100644
--- a/crates/typst-library/src/layout/length.rs
+++ b/crates/typst-library/src/layout/length.rs
@@ -76,11 +76,6 @@ impl Length {
         self.abs + self.em.at(font_size)
     }
 
-    /// Expresses this length in em's of the provided outer text size.
-    pub fn to_em(&self, font_size: Abs) -> Em {
-        self.em + Em::from_length(self.abs, font_size)
-    }
-
     /// Fails with an error if the length has a non-zero font-relative part.
     fn ensure_that_em_is_zero(&self, span: Span, unit: &str) -> SourceResult<()> {
         if self.em == Em::zero() {
diff --git a/crates/typst-library/src/text/shift.rs b/crates/typst-library/src/text/shift.rs
index c59ee98e8..b7f3ed926 100644
--- a/crates/typst-library/src/text/shift.rs
+++ b/crates/typst-library/src/text/shift.rs
@@ -177,11 +177,11 @@ fn show_script(
     size: Smart<TextSize>,
     kind: ScriptKind,
 ) -> SourceResult<Content> {
-    let outer_text_size = TextElem::size_in(styles);
+    let font_size = TextElem::size_in(styles);
     Ok(body.styled(TextElem::set_shift_settings(Some(ShiftSettings {
         typographic,
-        shift: baseline.map(|l| -l.to_em(outer_text_size)),
-        size: size.map(|t| t.0.to_em(outer_text_size)),
+        shift: baseline.map(|l| -Em::from_length(l, font_size)),
+        size: size.map(|t| Em::from_length(t.0, font_size)),
         kind,
     }))))
 }