Diastema: Gaps Between Teeth

Diastema: The Best Treatment for Gappy Teeth
Diastema occurs when there is sufficient spacing between the teeth.
These types of gaps can form anywhere in the mouth, but most commonly appear between the two upper front teeth.
Seen in both adults and children, the condition can have negative impacts on confidence as well as on your oral health.
Often a cosmetic issue for many patients, there are treatments and certain procedures to reduce the size or close the gap altogether.
What causes diastema?
There is no one clear cause of this oral condition, but it is often caused by several contributing factors.
It all relates to the size of your teeth and jaw in relation to each other, for example, if your teeth are too small for the jaw bone, then teeth are often spaced too far apart.
Due to genetics, diastema also commonly runs in families making it hereditary.
Suddenly formed gaps
This can understandably be very worrying.
Some cases of diastema can develop as a direct consequence of gum disease, which is an infection that takes place within your gums due to tartar and plaque buildup.
The inflammation of the gums damages the supporting tissue beneath the teeth, which cause gaps or pockets to form in-between teeth.
Read more about gum disease here.
Dental techniques to eradicate and close gaps
There are various types of treatments that can solve this issue and they span across various fields of dentistry from cosmetic to orthodontic.
Depending on the underlying cause of your gaps, treatment may not always be necessary, for a few it's not a gum disease problem but rather a cosmetic one.
That's why many patients who treat spaces in their mouth choose to do so purely for cosmetic reasons and wish to enhance the appearance of their smile.
Traditional fixed braces are often the go-to solution for teens and young adults to close gaps. The metal wires and brackets put pressure on the teeth to slowly move them together.
For patients looking for discreet alternatives to braces may be pleased to hear about Invisalign, which uses clear removable aligners to straighten teeth over a shorter period of time.
For patients who do not want braces and want something more instant can look into procedures like veneer application or dental bonding.
Dental bonding uses a tooth-coloured composite resin, which fills in the gaps or can be applied directly on to teeth to conceal the imperfections.
If the gap is big enough, you may be a candidate for dental implants or dental bridges, which replaces missing teeth or can close a gap.
To learn more about your treatment options available to you, scroll down and see all your options.
Treatments designed to fix gaps in patients teeth

Porcelain Veneers
Our porcelain veneers allow us to create veneers with no (or sometimes minimal) drilling, no injection and suitable for nervous patients. The veneers are made with latest compressed technology creating very thin, durable and aesthetic smiles. More.

Smile Makeover
A Smile Makeover is redesigning a new enhanced and improved smile. Our technology and state-of-the-art advanced systems ensure that we create beautiful natural teeth. More.

Snap on Smile
Snap-on Smile’s unique, proprietary formula of hi-tech dental resin make it very thin yet extremely strong. It fits right over your own teeth to give you the perfect smile—even if you have stains, chips, gaps or missing teeth. More.

Dental Braces
Clear, hidden, or removable Our specialist orthodontists offer the best teeth straightening treatments available for the fastest possible results. We can create a natural, beautiful and straighter smile for you in a matter of weeks using clear braces like Invisalign. Visit our practices in London, Hertfordshire or Essex. More.

Contact us for any questions, requests and further information; or to arrange a FREE Initial Consultation.
Our free no obligation Initial Consultation will be with our dentist and/or our Treatment Coordinators. The suitability of options discussed will ultimately be dependent upon your clinical assessment with a dentist at the practice.
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