Dental Conditions

Gaps between teeth

A diastema can be closed in a single visit, or corrected at its root with orthodontics. Which is right depends on why the gap is there.

Three approaches

Dental Bonding

Composite resin is applied to the edges of the teeth either side of the gap, widening them to close the space. Completed in a single visit and the most conservative option available — usually with no drilling at all.

Porcelain Veneers

More durable and more natural in appearance over the long term, and the better choice where the gap is part of a broader smile makeover involving shape and shade as well as spacing.

Invisalign

Rather than making the teeth wider, aligners move them together. This addresses the underlying cause where the gap results from an alignment issue, and leaves the teeth themselves untouched.

Widening teeth versus moving them

Bonding and veneers close a gap by making the adjacent teeth wider. That works beautifully for small gaps, but for a large diastema it can leave the front teeth looking disproportionately broad.

Orthodontics moves the teeth into contact instead, keeping their natural proportions. It takes months rather than an hour, but for larger gaps it usually produces the better-looking result — and sometimes the two are combined.

Why the gap is there matters

Gaps have several causes: teeth that are small relative to the jaw, a prominent labial frenum between the front teeth, missing teeth elsewhere allowing drift, or gum disease causing teeth to migrate.

That last one is important. A gap that has appeared recently in an adult mouth, rather than having always been there, warrants a periodontal assessment before any cosmetic work.

How we treat it

The treatments that address this.

Gaps closed

Both of these patients had spacing between the front teeth closed. Individual results vary.

Before — worn, shortened teeth, the upper and lower front edges meeting almost flat and the lips drawn close together
Before
After — porcelain crowns and veneers on both arches, the teeth restored to their full length and the bite opened
After

Full Mouth Rehabilitation with Crowns and Veneers

Upper & Lower Arches — no implants

Porcelain crowns and veneers across both arches, rebuilding teeth that had worn down over years. Restoring the height of the bite returns comfortable function and supports the proportions of the lower face.

Before — upper front teeth uneven in shade and length, with visible wear along the edges
Before
After — eight porcelain veneers and two crowns across the upper arch, even in shade, length and alignment
After

Eight Veneers and Two Crowns

Upper arch

Eight porcelain veneers and two crowns across the upper arch, evening out shade, length and alignment while keeping the lower teeth as they were.

See all 12 veneer cases

Concerned about your symptoms?

Book a consultation and we will tell you which approach suits your gap. Call (905) 479-7777.