Does the space between your teeth bother you? A lot of people have gaps between their teeth, and sometimes they can be a pain. You might not like how they look or find that food gets stuck in them and hurts your gums. Luckily, that gap doesn’t have to last forever. There are a number of ways to fix “gappy teeth,” and doing so will improve both the look and health of your smile.
Why Do You Have Teeth Gaps?
It means “gap” between two teeth. There are a few different reasons why someone might have gaps between their teeth. Most of the time, they show up between the two front upper teeth.
What Causes Gaps Between Teeth?
- An imbalance between the jaw bones’ and teeth’s sizes. There may be extra room between your teeth if your jawbone is too big and your teeth are too small.
- When teeth are missing or not the right size, the teeth next to them may move to try to close the gap. This movement can make gaps between teeth bigger.
- A gap can form if the labial frenum (the muscle that goes from the inside of your upper lip to your gums) is too big. It can get too big at times and fit between the two front teeth, stopping the space between them from closing naturally.
- Bad habits, like sucking your thumb, can move your front teeth forward and make gaps between them.
- If your swallowing response isn’t working right, spaces can form. When you swallow, your tongue should touch the roof of your mouth. However, some people press their tongue against their front teeth instead. The teeth will move because of this pressure, leaving a space between the front teeth.
- When you have gum disease, your jawbone gets weaker and recedes. Your jawbone holds your teeth in place, so losing bone can make your teeth free and move around.
Even if the gaps between your teeth don’t bother you in terms of how they look, you should still see a dentist to make sure it’s not caused by something more serious, like gum disease. Maybe you have a bad bite, which can cause gaps between your teeth and cause them to break or chip.
Quick Fact On Gaps In Front Teeth
Most people have a midline diastema, which is a space between their front teeth. There may be room between some kids’ teeth at first, but it usually closes up after their baby teeth fall out. More than 95% of kids aged 6 have a midline diastema. This number drops to less than 50% after their adult teeth come in all the way. Middle-line diastemas are rare in teens (12″18 years old): only 7% of them have them. In this case, it is safe to say that midline diastema gets smaller as people age.
How to Fix a Gap in Front Teeth
Think About Cosmetic Bonding
Your dentist can use cosmetic bonding to close up a small to large tooth gap in a way that is conservative, not too expensive, and quick. For this choice, the tooth-colored composite material that you may have seen used for cavities is used.
To fill in the space, your dentist will put some of this stuff on the sides of each tooth. They may also change the shape of the teeth that have been fixed to make them look more natural.
About five to seven years should pass before the bond hits. Staying away from stain-causing foods and drinks and not biting into hard foods can help your bond last longer.
Get Dental Veneers
Dental veneers cover the front of all of your teeth to hide flaws like chipped or spaced teeth. If the gap between your teeth isn’t too big, veneers may last longer than sealing. But keep in mind that they cost a lot more.
There are two kinds of veneers your doctor can give you: composite or porcelain. Composite is another choice. It uses the same tooth-colored material as bonding. In most cases, it lasts about the same amount of time as bonding and costs less. A porcelain veneer can last for 10 to 15 years if you are ready to pay more for them. If you want to hide your tooth gap for a longer time, these are the best choice because they look the most natural and won’t stain.
Get Treated With Clear Aligners
Clear aligners are an option to traditional braces. They look a lot like clear orthodontic retainers. This method of treatment can close the space between your front teeth and fix teeth that are crooked, crowded, or sticking out. It might even help fix your bite.
An x-ray of your whole mouth and a mold or 3D model of your teeth will be made by your dentist. Most of the time, you can see both the end result and a simulation of how your teeth will move over time.
You may get a new set of clear aligners every week or every other week for anywhere from a few months to over a year, depending on your case. You’ll have to wear them all the time, except when you eat or brush your teeth.
Wear Traditional Braces
If you don’t mind having metal or ceramic brackets that stay on your teeth, you might want to look into standard braces. You might be able to get them for less money than clear braces. With this choice, you can fix any dental problems you have at the same time.
It’s possible to get rid of your braces in just six months, so don’t worry about having to wear them for years. You may also pick to treat only one part of your mouth to save money and get better care faster.
If you want to close a tooth gap with traditional braces, you will need to go to the dentist often for changes. Also, stay away from things that are too hard or too sticky, as they can break your brackets or wires.
Get A Frenectomy
There is a frenum between your top front gums and your face that can cause a gap between your front teeth. This tissue can get too big or thick at times, making it impossible to move. As a child, this can leave a space between your front teeth, and braces won’t even be able to fix it.
An operation called a frenectomy can be done on people who have this problem Your dentist will be able to close your gap and make your frenum the right size with lasers or hand tools.
Right after your frenectomy, you might feel pain, swell up, and bleed for a few days. In a few weeks, you’ll be fully healed.
Consider Removable Orthodontic Appliances
Some options that are faster than braces or clear aligners are portable devices that look like orthodontic retainers. Your dentist can tell you more about these. This way can close the space between your teeth in as little as six weeks and costs a lot less than other dental choices.
Most of the time, these replaceable devices have springs in the back that help push your front teeth together on the top, bottom, or both arches. There is also a line that can be seen between your teeth.
Most of the time, you’ll wear your device for twenty hours a day. You’ll take it out to eat and brush your teeth, just like with clear aligners. Also, your dentist will make appointments for you to come in for changes at certain times. You will need to wear a retainer to keep the gap from coming back after the gap is closed and you are happy with the results.
Use Tooth Gap Bands
People also like to use tooth gap bands, which look like little rubber bands, to close up gaps between their teeth. The band will go around both of your teeth, and over time, the force will push them together. This is not a good idea and could be dangerous. Healthline has a lot of information about this process at.
This could be a cheap choice, but it comes with some risks. You might lose your tooth if the band gets under your gums. If that happens, you’ll need more expensive dental work, like an implant.
You should talk to your doctor about tooth gap bands and have them keep an eye on your teeth while you use them. After wearing tooth gap bands, you will need a dental retainer to keep your teeth from moving back to where they were before.
Direct Bonding
Direct resin bonding, which involves putting tooth-colored filling on the side of the teeth next to the gap, is an easy, low-cost, and safe way to close the space between teeth. But if the teeth’s color and shape aren’t what you want, the effects might not be the best.
Dental Implants
Dental implants can be used to fill in holes between teeth that are bigger than normal. This choice is usually a good one if the gap is caused by lost or extracted teeth. One usual case is when the second front tooth (the lateral incisors) is missing from birth. This choice will give you great cosmetic and functional benefits and won’t require any changes to the teeth next to it.
Consider All Your Dental Options
You can fix your annoying tooth gap in a number of ways, no matter how much money you have. How quickly you want to see effects will be a big part of your will.
Because gaps can be caused by a number of things, you should talk to a dentist. They can help you figure out which options will work best for you. On the other hand, getting braces wouldn’t help if the problem is really with your frenum. If you have problems like crowding and a bad bite, full orthodontic treatment may also be the best choice.
Prevent Reappearance Of Gap In Front Teeth
People who push their tongues or suck their thumbs often have gaps between their front teeth. The midline diastema is another common cause. If these problems with your front teeth are caused by the things listed above, your dentist will always make sure that they don’t come back.
When a patient has bad habits like thumb-sucking or pushing the tongue, the orthodontist uses tools to help them stop. As was already said, a frenectomy stops the midline diastema from showing up again.
But if the gaps in your front teeth are caused by gum disease or an underlying bone infection, you must be very careful to keep your mouth very clean so that the infection doesn’t come back. If it does, the gaps in your teeth could appear again.
Get in touch with your local Dentist office right away if you want to close the gaps between your front teeth.
No matter what caused the gap in your front teeth, our team of in-house dentists will not only fix it, but also give you the beautiful smile you’ve been wanting.
Permanent Solution For Teeth Gap
If you have a gap between your teeth, food can get stuck between them, your smile won’t look good, and you may feel less confident. There are lasting ways to fix gaps between teeth that make the space between them disappear. Eliminating the space between your teeth can improve your smile and make you look better.
Frequently Asked Question
Can holes in your teeth cause a big problem?
If you have big holes between your teeth, bacteria are likely to grow. Tooth loss and gum disease can happen because of this. Your teeth or mouth may hurt or make it hard for you to bite or chew. For better oral health, you should fill in the spaces between your teeth.
Can Teeth Gaps Close Naturally?
There are times when the space between the front teeth can close on its own. Babies may have a space between their upper front teeth when their milk teeth start to come in. This space will close itself as the muscles in their jaws grow.
What Is The Best Way To Close A Gap In Front Teeth?
- Tooth bonding.
- Porcelain Pores.
- Treatment for orthodontics.