3 Dental Treatments For A Diastema Between The Two Front Teeth

Posted on: 2 November 2016

Tooth gaps can occur when erupting teeth shift slightly out of place or when one tooth grows undersized compared to its neighbor. The gaps or diastema aren't always noticeable if the space is between two teeth towards the rear of your mouth. But a diastema between your two front teeth is far more noticeable and you might not look the cosmetic look of the gap.

What are some of the dental treatments available for a diastema between the two front teeth? Remember, you should always follow your dentist's advice for your specific dental situation.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding uses moldable resin to rebuild the front of your natural teeth. The dentist might put a bond on one tooth or both in order to close the gap. The resin allows the dentist to form the piece directly onto the tooth, which has a couple of advantages. First, you will only need to have one office appointment versus the multiple visits required for lab-crafted pieces like dental veneers.

The placement of a resin bond also doesn't require the dentist to shave down any of your natural tooth, which does need to happen with dental crowns or veneers to facilitate the bonding process. If you have healthy teeth other than the diastema, you won't want to lose enamel and dentin for no reason.

On the downside, resin bonds don't have the same level of precision as veneers so a dentist might have trouble closing smaller gaps.

Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are lab-crafted out of porcelain based on a mold created of your two front teeth. The dentist will need to shave down the natural teeth slightly to apply the bonding agent. Shaving could prove a positive if the two front teeth are also oversized, which would allow your dentist to correct two problems at once.

The veneer offers a greater level of precision, which can help the dentist close larger gaps. Porcelain looks more natural and is more stain resistant than resin bonds.

Orthodontics

Dental gaps are sometimes so large, and combined with other alignment issues, that there's no way around the problem but orthodontics. As an adult, you might feel eager to have a mouth full of metal. But invisible braces can often sufficiently correct a diastema and won't look noticeable in your mouth. You can also take out the brace trays while eating or sleeping though it's important to leave the braces in your mouth as much as possible.

For more information, contact companies like Waterford Dental.

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