Whether you have microdontia or just smaller than usual teeth, we can help.
Getting to the root of your small teeth
Teeth come in all sizes and shapes. But you might feel self-conscious about your smile when your full set of teeth are smaller than normal – and it’s not an uncommon issue. For some patients, their small teeth are caused by microdontia, a dental condition usually caused by genetics that describes teeth that are unusually short, putting patients at risk for other problems like gum disease, tooth damage and gaps.
Treatments to lengthen small teeth
We can take several approaches to lengthen small teeth, most of which are non-invasive, quick solutions that can be completed in one appointment (typically a few hours).
You can enter our clinic with small teeth and leave with the smile you’ve always dreamed of.
Composite bonding (£350):
Composite bonding is an amazing dental option for patients who want to add a bit of length to a few of their teeth. Composite bonding takes one appointment, is sculpted directly to the tooth and causes no damage to the tooth’s structure. Guide to composite bonding.
Composite veneers (£500 per tooth):
Composite veneers are like composite bonding, except it’s not applied to a single portion of the tooth, but rather the entire tooth to change its length and shape. Composite veneers require no tooth preparation, keeping the underlying tooth structure intact and healthy. They will need replacing every 5-7 years. Explore composite veneers.
Porcelain veneers (from £1,000):
Porcelain veneers are the best on the market, as they mimic natural teeth so perfectly. It’s a common misconception with porcelain veneers that you’ll need a full mouth of them, but they can be used to correct a few teeth as they’re highly customisable to match and blend with neighbouring teeth. We only offer no-prep and minimally invasive porcelain veneers, which means we do not have to cut or damage unnecessary tooth structure to place them. Explore them here.
Porcelain veneers typically last 15 years or more.
Dental crowns (£1,200):
If your small teeth are caused by tooth erosion and general wear and tear, then a dental crown might be your best option, especially if you’ve lost a significant portion of your tooth’s structure. Explore different types of crowns.
Everything you need to know about small teeth
Dive deeper into small teeth, learn how they’re caused, the symptoms of microdontia, and the potential risks of living with smaller-than-normal teeth.
Typical causes of small teeth
Small teeth can be caused by a number of reasons, and to treat them, it’s essential to identify the root cause to determine the best next steps.
If you have short teeth that look like baby teeth, and have had them all of your life, it’s most likely that they’re caused by genetics, or you have a gingival smile, which is actually too much gum as opposed to little teeth.
Microdontia is another cause of small teeth, which has several forms and types, which we’ll dive deeper into next.
Small teeth caused by microdontia
Microdontia, or pegged teeth often refers to cone-shaped teeth that are significantly smaller than regular teeth. The genetic condition typically affects one or both of your lateral incisors, or in rarer circumstances, a full set of teeth.
Teeth getting shorter caused by wear
As we age, or if we persistently grind our teeth without treatment, then it’s possible for our teeth or erode and wear away, which results in them looking shorter (or blunter than usual).
Short teeth can be affected with abrasive wear, when physical pressure is often applied to the teeth, or erosive wear, which is caused by acidic substances, for example.
Can you ignore small teeth?
Small teeth, more often than not is an aesthetic concern, but that does not mean that they cannot put you at risk for future dental problems. For example, if you are diagnosed with microdontia, you are a risk to develop gaps between teeth, which in turn, puts you at greater risk for gum disease.
As shorter teeth often don’t fit or align together correctly, they tend to put unnecessary wear and tear on teeth, making teeth appear even smaller.