Are you conscious of the gaps between your teeth? Gappy teeth are quite common, but sometimes they can become a bit of a bother. Maybe you don’t like the look of them or find that food gets trapped, causing issues with your gums. Fortunately, that gap doesn’t have to be permanent. There are several treatments available for “gappy teeth” and fixing them carries both aesthetic and health benefits for your smile.
#1 Why do you have teeth gaps?
A “diastema” is a gap between two teeth. These teeth gaps tend to appear between the two upper front teeth, but gaps can occur between any two teeth and there are several reasons why someone may have gappy teeth. So, what causes gaps between teeth?
A mismatch between the size of the jaw bones and the size of the teeth. If your jawbone is too large and your teeth too small, you may experience extra space between teeth.
Missing or undersized teeth can cause neighbouring teeth to move and attempt to help close one gap. This movement can create new gaps between teeth.
An oversized labial frenum (the piece of tissue extending from the inside of your upper lip to the gums) can create a gap. Sometimes, it can grow too large and pass between the two front teeth, blocking the natural closure of the space between these teeth.
Bad habits like thumb sucking can pull the front teeth forward and create gaps.
Spaces can develop due to an improper swallowing reflex. When you swallow, your tongue should press against the roof of your mouth, but some people push their tongue forward against their front teeth. This pressure will cause teeth to move, creating a gap between front teeth.
Gum disease causes your jawbone to weaken and recede. As the jawbone supports your teeth, losing bone can cause them to become loose and move.
Even if your teeth gaps don’t bother you from an aesthetic point of view, it’s important to get the diastema checked by a dentist in case a more serious condition like gum disease is the cause. Gaps in your teeth could also mean you have an improper bite, which can lead to chipped or broken teeth.
#1.1 Quick fact on gaps in front teeth
Midline diastema – or gap between front teeth – is considered to be the most common of all. Some children may have space between teeth, however it often closes after their primary teeth fall. More than 95% of 6-year-old children have midline diastema and after their permanent teeth fully erupt, the percentage of diastema decreases to less than 50%. Only 7% of teenagers between 12 and 18 years of age have midline diastema. It is then safe to say that midline diastema decreases with age.
#2 How to close teeth gaps
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Closing gaps with dental Bonding
Dental bonding, or cosmetic bonding, is the easiest, quickest, and most economical way to fix a gap between teeth. This is the same procedure you would have experienced if you ever chipped part of a tooth and had it fixed. A dentist applies a tooth coloured resin to your teeth and shaped to match their natural look. Then, it is hardened with a UV light, which “bonds” it and closes the gap. Bonding usually only takes one office visit and there is no need to remove any natural enamel, which means that the process can be reversed if required. However, it also means that teeth bonding for gaps is not a permanent solution and requires maintenance, as it will wear off over time due to impacts from eating and brushing.
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Closing gaps with veneers
Porcelain veneers are another cosmetic approach to fixing gaps in between front teeth. They require more work and planning than dental bonding, but the procedure is still relatively simple and the results last for many years.
A veneer is a thin piece of porcelain that has been shaped in a lab to match the shape and colour of your teeth. Like a mask, it is placed and bonded over the front of your tooth, covering up any imperfections or gaps in your teeth. Once bonded, the thin piece of porcelain becomes very sturdy and difficult to break.
Veneers look great and are long lasting if done properly, but it’s important to know that the process is irreversible. In order to create surface space for the veneers to be attached to, a thin and sometimes substantial layer of enamel needs to be removed from the front of your teeth. Without that enamel, your teeth require veneers for protection, as they would otherwise become exposed and painfully sensitive. Veneers can correct many cosmetic issues, but depending on the cause of the gaps in your teeth, orthodontics might be required.
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Fixing gaps with orthodontics
For more severe cases of teeth gaps, an orthodontic approach may be the best solution. It’s not as simple as it may seem: only moving the front two teeth together would create gaps either side of them, and so on, which is why braces or invisible aligners would be required to correct your arch, or the position of all your visible teeth.
Out of the two options, invisible aligners are very often the easiest, most pain-free and affordable option to close gaps. By adjusting the shape and size of your dental arches, the teeth are moved into their ideal alignment, closing the gap. Because the dental aligners are made from durable yet flexible plastic, they can be removed and cleaned, leading to a healthier smile than when fixed braces are used.
Even though orthodontic treatment takes longer than dental bonding or veneers, it is an effective and long lasting solution. The bonding material can discolour and become weaker over the years, starting to break away, while veneers require the destruction of your natural protective enamel and can come at great financial cost.
Invisible aligners have become much more cost and time efficient than other methods, and you can even save up to 70% on the clinic price or other orthodontic procedures if you choose an at-home solution. Thanks to innovative advances in teledentistry, this method also cuts out the hassle of having to make dentist appointments, giving you your most naturally straight smile at a fraction of the clinic cost.