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.
Other conditions we treat
Concerned about your symptoms?
Book a consultation and we will tell you which approach suits your gap. Call (905) 479-7777.