Diastema is a space between your teeth. Gaps can appear anywhere in your mouth, but the most typical location is between your two front teeth. This ailment is generally cosmetic, although it can also be associated with gum disease as described by a Tukwila dentist. Dental bonding, porcelain veneers, and braces are all options for treating Diastema.
Causes of Diastema
There are several potential reasons for diastema, some of which may be avoided, while others are unavoidable. The most prevalent causes of big or minor gaps between teeth are often one or more of the following:
- Genetics: You cannot escape your genetics, which has a significant role in the chances of acquiring diastema. Tooth gaps, as well as a range of other dental and non-dental disorders, can be inherited. Some people only have a gap throughout childhood as their teeth mature.
- Unhealthy Gums: Poor oral hygiene can lead to periodontitis, often known as gum disease. Unhealthy gum tissue can promote gum recession, exposing dark areas between teeth beneath the gum line. Periodontitis is a preventable cause of diastemas.
- Problems in tooth development: Certain childhood habits, injuries, and dental issues that cause you to lose teeth during early and late childhood can cause a gap between teeth. For example, hypodontia, or extra teeth, can mean teeth change their position.
How Do You Fix Diastema?
There are various methods for resolving diastema. The treatment depends on whether the ailment is caused by gum disease or is purely cosmetic.
Cosmetic Therapies for Diastema
If your teeth are healthy and you only want to narrow the gap between your teeth, there are various cosmetic dental procedures available, including:
- Dental bonding: Your dentist applies a tooth-colored composite resin material to conceal the gap. Then, your teeth are shaped and polished for a natural appearance.
- Porcelain veneers: These are custom-made ceramic shells that permanently adhere to your front tooth surfaces. They can close down a gap between the teeth for a more uniform look.
- Braces: If you have a significant gap, you may require braces or clear orthodontic aligners to physically bring your teeth closer. (In most situations, your dentist can treat diastema without braces.)
- Frenectomy: An oral frenum is a ring of tissue that links the lip to the gums. If this piece of tissue is overly thick, it may force your teeth apart, resulting in a gap. A frenectomy removes this strip of tissue. In many circumstances, a frenectomy is performed in conjunction with another cosmetic operation, such as dental bonding or veneers.
- Dental bridge: If the gap between your teeth is the result of a lost tooth, your dentist may propose a bridge to fill it. To put a bridge, there must be two healthy teeth on either side of the gap. These teeth will be modified to function as anchors for your new restoration.
There are several preventative ways to avoid diastema, which may be a viable alternative for parents who see diastema in children. Oral hygiene and early treatment of dental disorders can help reduce the probability that diastema will become troublesome.