A gap, which is also known as diastema, can happen between your two front teeth. Extra spacing, however, can occur between any two teeth in your smile. Some people find that a gap makes their smile unique, but there are times when people begin to feel self-conscious about the way their smile looks. Wide, uneven spacing between teeth can be caused by several different issues. Many of these issues will not affect the health of your smile, but there are times when gaps are caused by something like tongue thrusting or periodontal disease. In these cases, whatever is causing the gap may also affect your smile’s health. When your smile’s health is in danger, that issue may need to be addressed in conjunction with addressing your smile’s appearance. However, strictly cosmetic issues can often be treated with cosmetic dentistry.
Bonding or Veneers
When the cause of diastema is the size or shape of one or more teeth, the unevenly shaped or sized tooth (or teeth) can cause issues for the spacing. It can make it so that some teeth may appear closer together, while others may have wide spacing or gaps. Adjusting the structure of the tooth (or teeth) with a cosmetic treatment such as veneers or bonding may help to close the gaps. Cosmetic bonding is when a tooth-colored composite resin is applied directly to your tooth, shaped, hardened, and polished. A porcelain veneer is a wafer-thin shell of porcelain that is applied permanently to the front of your tooth or teeth. Veneers can be a better option when several teeth need treatment.
Dental Crown
If a gap is caused by one of your teeth being significantly smaller than those around it or if a tooth has suffered damage, it may require more extensive restoration. A damaged or unevenly sized tooth can create a space between it and the adjacent teeth. A dental crown can restore the tooth, while also evening out the spacing between it and the others.
If you want to address your smile’s gap, we can help
If you feel self-conscious about your smile’s appearance, we can help rebuild your confidence. To schedule a consultation, contact us at our Lafayette, LA, dentist’s office at 337-237-6453. We proudly serve patients from Breaux Bridge, Broussard, Scott, Youngsville, and surrounding communities.
