Teeth gaps can undermine smile perfection and increase health risks. With advances in dental care, although we need orthodontic treatment in some cases, you no longer have to rely on braces to close the gaps between your teeth. Instead, there are numerous effective teeth gap-filling procedures.
What are teeth gaps?
As the name suggests, teeth gaps are spaces between the teeth. The clinical term for this dental condition is diastema and affects children and adults of all ages. Although teeth gaps are more visible between the two upper front teeth, they can develop anywhere in the mouth.
Here is everything you need to know about teeth gaps and how to fix them.
What causes a gap in your teeth?
There are several causes of teeth gaps. Most cases of diastema have several contributing factors.
Ø Genetics influence the size of teeth and jaw bone. If your teeth are too small compared to your jaw bone, they will spread out more and create teeth gaps.
Ø Bad habits can also cause or widen existing teeth gaps. For example, constant pressure due to excessive thumb sucking can push the front teeth apart.
Ø Gum disease can lead to bone loss around the jaw. Without structural stability, your teeth may weaken and shift apart.
Ø Overgrowth of labial frenum inside your upper lip can push your teeth apart, creating gaps. This dental condition usually affects front teeth.
Ø Teeth gaps can also develop due to incorrect swallowing reflexes where the tongue thrusts forward instead of pressing against the mouth's roof. The pressure can create gaps in front teeth.
Some of these causes may require more targeted teeth gap-filling strategies to close the diastema for good. To fill the gap in your teeth, understand the underlying cause and contributing factors.
Is it bad to have gapped teeth?
Small gaps between the teeth are not problematic. Some celebrities have uniquely beautiful smiles, thanks to small teeth gaps. But this is not the case with large teeth gaps. Noticeable spaces between teeth can undermine aesthetics and function. It can lead to teeth misalignment, one of the leading causes of bite problems. Teeth gaps also encourage plaque and tartar buildup and provide a fertile breeding ground for bacteria. Accumulation of plaque, tartar, and bacteria in your mouth increases the risk of bad breath, teeth discoloration, tooth decay, periodontal disease, and other dental issues. Large teeth gaps can also undermine the effectiveness of brushing and flossing. Filling the gap in your teeth can eliminate these risks, improve oral health, and give you a beautiful smile.
Do gaps in teeth get bigger with age?
It depends on the underlying cause. Some people inherit small teeth gaps from their parents, which widens over time due to bad habits. If you suffer from gum disease and don't seek treatment, it can lead to bone loss and widen the gaps. Dental conditions like tongue thrust and tissue overgrowth from your upper lip to the gum can push your teeth further apart for years. Early intervention can save you money and protect your authentic smile.
Can gap teeth be fixed?
Yes, gap teeth can be fixed! In the past decades, dentists relied on traditional metal braces to close the diastema. But metal braces take years to deliver a beautiful smile. Luckily, advances in dental care in the 21st century provide more targeted diastema closure treatments. Innovative clinics like Toronto Smile Design combine several cosmetic dentistry procedures like porcelain veneers, dental crowns, and teeth bonding to deliver beautiful smiles.
How do I get rid of a gap in my teeth?
In the old days, metal braces were the go-to option to fix teeth gaps. These dental appliances are ideal for closing crooked gap teeth. In today's digital age, you have access to several treatment options. To get rid of teeth gaps, visit a dental office. Your Toronto dentist will examine your teeth and gums to determine the underlying causes. You can go through diastema closure before-and-after pictures to pick the most effective teeth gap-filling treatment.
How can I fix a gap in my front teeth without braces?
Your front teeth define your smile in so many ways. A gap in front teeth won't go unnoticed. Your front teeth should strike a balance between size, shape, and colour. Here are the three best cosmetic dentistry procedures to fix gaps in front teeth:
Dental Bonding:
Teeth bonding is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to fix a gap between teeth. This cosmetic dental procedure uses tooth-coloured resins to correct the shape and size of teeth. During the dental bonding procedure, your Toronto cosmetic dentist will apply composite materials to your teeth. They'll reshape the bonding material to close the gap and improve your smile. When exposed to a special UV light, composite bonding hardens like a natural tooth. Dental bonding can increase the size of your teeth and fix the gaps within a few hours.
Porcelain Veneers:
Ceramic veneers are tooth-shaped shells placed on the front side of teeth to restore aesthetics. This cosmetic dental procedure can improve the colour, shape, and size of teeth. The innovative Toronto Smile Design Clinic uses unique dentistry processes to develop porcelain veneers that mimic your natural teeth. Some celebrities with teeth gaps use porcelain veneers to improve their smile. The best porcelain veneers in Toronto can close the gap between your teeth. It can give you a charming Hollywood smile in one day.
Dental Crowns:
Unlike porcelain veneers, dental crowns cover the entire tooth, not just the front side. Diastema closure with crowns also prevents other dental issues like tooth decay. To get the best before-and-after results, use porcelain crowns to fix gaps in your front teeth. Toronto Smile Design uses cutting-edge technologies to carve out dental crowns from a single block of porcelain. This innovative approach eliminates the risk of cracking and enhances aesthetics.
Dental Implants:
A dental implant is ideal for fixing a wide tooth gap. First, a titanium screw-like root is inserted into your gum or bone. Second, an artificial crown is attached to the implant to fill the teeth gap. It is a complex surgical procedure performed by skilled oral surgeons like Toronto Smile Design's Dr. Johnson.
To fix teeth gaps and improve your smile in Toronto, look no further than Toronto Smile Design.
Why Toronto Smile Design - Yorkville Dental?
Dr. Johnson Ozgur is a Toronto dentist with a Master's Degree in Oral Surgery. He is experienced in DSD and Cosmetic Dentistry, including teeth bonding, porcelain veneers, dental crowns, and dental implants. Contact Toronto Smile Design-Yorkville Dental office today to fix teeth gaps and restore your beautiful smile!
Veneers are thin custom made shells that are placed over the surface of your existing teeth. There are different types of veneers available. The two most common types of veneers are porcelain and composite. Both types achieve similar results using different materials. If the gap between your teeth is small, your dentist may be able to use two veneers to close the visible space. However, if the gap is larger, additional veneers or alternate treatments may be necessary.