Treatments For Diastema

A gap (diastema) between your teeth can ruin your smile. Most people have diastemata between their two upper front teeth, although gaps can appear between any two teeth. Apart from ruining your dental aesthetics, a diastema can make chewing difficult and harbor food particles that can cause periodontal disease.

The most common causes of diastema include tooth misalignment and missing or misshaped teeth. Other patients may have an oversized labial frenum, which is the tissue found between teeth. If the tissue is too long, it can form a considerable gap between teeth. Here is a look at various treatments available for diastema.

Orthodontic care

If the gaps between your teeth are caused by tooth misalignment, braces may help bring back the teeth into proper alignment. Wire braces are often recommended for children, while adults may wear clear braces that are removable at night.

Patients often have to wear braces for anywhere between six months to a year so their teeth are perfectly realigned. In some cases, your dentist may have to remove some teeth so as to create space for maneuvering the rest into proper position. A retainer, which is essentially a removable set of braces, may be worn afterwards to maintain the teeth in their proper position.

Dental implants

In cases where a diastema is caused by tooth loss, dental implants may be applied to fill the gap. The implant usually has a titanium post that is inserted into the gap and given time to bond with the bone. Afterwards, a porcelain crown that matches your natural teeth is inserted on top of the titanium rod to replace the lost tooth.

Implants can help improve your dental aesthetics, make chewing easier and prevent tooth shifting that can lead to an improper bite. Your dentist may also recommend gum disease treatment if your gums appear inflamed so as to prevent implant failure or further tooth loss. 

Veneers and dental bonding

If your diastema results from misshaped teeth, veneers could be bonded to the surface of the teeth to add a little bulk and cover the gap. Alternatively, dental bonding material can be applied to cracked or worn out teeth to add width to the enamel and cover the gap.

Gapped teeth that are severely damaged or chipped may need to be restored using a dental crown so as to form a perfectly aligned smile. 

Frenectomy

A frenectomy refers to a surgical procedure to remove excessive tissue between front teeth. The treatment is used on children to remove an oversized labial frenum so that the gap between their front teeth closes naturally as their primary teeth come in. 

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